


Last Call at The Secret Garden

by AcidicVermin9



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Burlesque Club, Alternate Universe - Prohibition Era, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Love, M/M, Multi, Other, mafia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:35:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 22
Words: 66,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28888473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcidicVermin9/pseuds/AcidicVermin9
Summary: A young college graduate moves to Narin City in 1927 to find a job—and to make a new start. With the people she meets and the things she does, she entangles herself with a brooding yet handsome gangster, one who is part of the Balthuman Outfit—the regional mafia clan of the era.
Relationships: Erdene/Poppy Wilkes, Goliath/Tora Midnight Poppyland, Gyu | Ronzo/Poppy Wilkes, Jacob/Poppy Wilkes, Julri/Mimi (Midnight Poppy Land), Quincey Balthuman & Poppy Wilkes, Quincey Balthuman & Tora, Tora/Poppy Wilkes, Vincent Balthuman/Tora
Comments: 90
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppylan Wilkes, a recent young college graduate from a nearby small town, has recently moved to Narin City looking for work, leaving behind her fiancée. She travels back home to try and convince him to join her, and gets the shock of her life. Returning to the city, she sets things in motion, doing something that will change her life forever.

Poppy felt ecstatic. She’s finally found the time to travel home to visit her fiancée. It has been several weeks since she moved to Narin City in order to find work. She pounded the pavement relentlessly to find work at any publisher or newspaper, anywhere they were hiring writers, but no one is hiring, at least not women writers. She’s been told more than once that it is simply not the domain of the fairer sex. But she is still determined to do something related to writing, so she’ll keep trying. She has enough money for another month at the shabby boarding house she’s been living in, but after that, she’ll unfortunately have to consider a less savory alternative career. 

Of course she moved to the big city to make money, as the employment options in Moonbright for a young woman, a college graduate at that, are simply nonexistent. But the primary reason for leaving is she secretly wants a fresh start in life. But in the meantime, she has to find a way to support her Granny to remain in their family home. She recently graduated college, due to the financial support of her late father, but the money has run out, and she needs to pay the mortgage somehow. 

_Julri will be so tickled to see me, or at least I hope he is._

They had a huge tiff before she left, as he didn’t think it was her place to be moving into such a large city, especially as an unmarried woman alone. He is supposed to be the breadwinner, after all, he kept telling her. But, she argued with him, he doesn’t have a job either. He’s only been working sporadically himself, mostly as a farm hand in the fields surrounding Moonbright, or as a day laborer trucked to different locations throughout the region. But the last time they spoke on the phone, it seemed to her that he hadn’t worked since she left.

The train pulls into the station right on time, and she disembarks promptly, carrying her bag over her shoulder. She walks to the center of Moonbright, perhaps a twenty-minute walk down the dusty main road into town, as she couldn’t afford a taxi, even if it were available. As she arrives in the town’s outskirts, she makes a beeline to their flat where Julri still lives, and quickly climbs the three flights of stairs.ir

Just as she walks up to his door, raising her right hand to knock, she hears female laughter through the door. Poppy stops, completely surprised. She leans into the door, placing her ear directly onto it, so she could listen more.

“Stop it, that tickles—“ A woman is definitely inside the flat.

“How do you always find the most ticklish spots on me, Julri?” 

Poppy tries the doorknob, and the door is unlocked. She opens it, quietly walking in a few feet, to see her fiancée on their divan, with a blonde flapper in his lap. 

She hears his voice reply, “Because I already know every spot on—“ 

Julri looks up, and notices Poppy standing there with a stunned look on her face.

But the woman must not have noticed Poppy walking in. 

“God, Julri, you’re such a tease—“ 

“P...Poppy…?” Julri is stuttering at her sudden appearance.

“H-Honey, what are you doing here? I didn’t know you were coming back today…”

The blonde flapper in Julri’s arms turns around to see her, but then sniggers, and whispers something in Julri’s ear that Poppy doesn’t hear.

“I didn’t think you’d come without calling me first…”

“I did, many times, but you never answered. Well, I guess now I know why you never picked up.”

Poppy stared at him for a few seconds longer, then looks over at the blonde’s face, smeared with bright red lipstick, which is also all over Julri’s face as well.

_Cheating rat bastard._

“I’ll see you around.” Poppy removes her paltry engagement ring, places it on the floor, and walks back out the door, shutting the door behind her. She hears Julri shout something, but frankly, she couldn’t care less. She walks back down the stairs, out the door, and back into the street.

Trying to keep her wits about her and avoid crying her eyes out, she decides to walk over to her Granny’s, but the tears are looming too closely behind her eyes.

_The fudging creep. With everything I’ve done for him, he does this to me? Good riddance to bad rubbish, as Granny has always said._

She promptly arrives at her Granny’s house, walks up the stairs to the front door, and knocks. 

Granny comes to the door within a few minutes, and is pleasantly surprised.

“Well, hello, Poppylan, I didn’t realize you were coming to visit!” 

Poppy sniffs a bit, and shouts, “Surprise!” And then bursts into tears. She intended to surprise her later in the day, but only after convincing Julri to come back to the city with her.

_What a disaster!_

“Oh, Poppylan, please come in, my dear. Please tell me—what’s happened?”

Granny invites her inside, and she proceeds to tell Gran the whole story after she arrives in Moonbright that morning, sparing no details.

“I never liked that _man_. You deserve so much better, Poppylan. If your father were here, he’d be at his door with his shotgun—“

“It’s okay, Gran. It’s a mixed blessing, honestly. He has never been supportive of me moving to the city, but it doesn’t hurt any less. I feel I’ve wasted four years of my life with him.”

Gran pats Poppy on the arm sympathetically, wanting to say so much more about the disreputable man, but she keeps her mouth shut, so as not to further upset Poppylan.

“Well, I can’t travel back to the city sooner than when my train departs at 5:00, so in the meantime I would love to have some tea with you. I hope I haven’t interrupted anything.”

Poppy also hopes that Julri doesn’t show up or make an appearance, as she is simply finished with him.

“Of course not dear. Just canning and making pies for the diner. Let’s go sit in the kitchen, and we can chat while I work.”

“Oh, well, in that case, put me to work, Gran! You know I make the best pies in the entire region!”

“Of course, dear. Let me get you an apron.”

They both walk into the kitchen, and get to work.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora Yeke Noyouko, the Tiger of Ares Street, is sitting in the Moonbright train station, waiting, but his patience is wearing thin. As a gangster in the Balthuman Outfit, his time away from the city is, well, it’s limited, and the clock is ticking. He must have already smoked 5 cigarettes since he arrived. He takes off his hat and sighs.

_Where the f*ck can he be?_

Goliath, his estranged younger brother, phoned him a week ago, telling him he had amassed evidence to take the Outfit down. He is going to take this evidence and turn it into the G-Men of the federal police. But when he called, he told Tora that he thinks he’s now being followed. He asked him to come and rescue him at the Moonbright Station, on this day and at this time, but he has yet to show up. Goliath is also a lieutenant for a new rival outfit, the Ninedaggers, so he is in double jeopardy at this point.

 _What an utter f*cktwat. What the hell is he thinking?_ _He better get his ass here pronto, or I’m gone._

Tora remembers more of the conversation, and the remaining details Goliath shared with him. 

“The evidence—it’s all in my ledger. I’ve placed it in a black bag, you’ll be able to grab it there in Moonbright, if something happens to me. It’s got a tag with our code on it—you remember it, ya? Anyways, wait as long as you can but, if I’m not there by 5 o’clock when the train leaves, grab the bag and travel back to the city. I sent it ahead to Moonbright, so it should be right there in the station before you get there. I know you can find a good place to stash it in the city, somewhere Vincent and his f*cking crew can’t find it.”

Tora remembers Goliath also told him that the information in the ledger would help him get out--to leave the Outfit. 

_Tch. That’s just a pipe dream, little man. But just in case your stuff is legit, well, I’m here._

He continues to nervously sit there as the clock ticks down, waiting to see if he will show.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After a pleasant day chatting and baking, Poppy leaves to travel back to the city. Poppy gives her Gran a big hug, promising to plan a longer visit in the future. She begins the 30 minute walk to the train station, knowing she needs to be there by 5:00 pm. While she walks, she reflects on what happened that day, and her relationship with Julri. 

_Is it me? Am I horrible to live with? How long has he been cheating? Has he been with other women?_

It seems like she has a lot of questions, but no answers, at least not yet.

She arrives in plenty of time at the station, placing her bag with all the others bound for Narin City, just temporarily, as she goes to the ladies room to freshen up before the train leaves. What she doesn’t notice is that she places her bag right next to one, a black one with a weird red luggage tag, one that is identical to her own.

She uses the toilet, and then washes her face and hands. Looking in the mirror, she is trying to psyche herself up to go back to the city and keep looking for work, but she keeps seeing Julri’s face, covered in lipstick and hears the giggling of that sleazy flapper over and over, upsetting her even more.

She walks out into the depot, quite flustered, grabbing her bag, and walking out the door to stand at the platform's edge.

At least she _believes_ it’s her bag. She doesn’t notice the tall dark man who’s reaching for the bag at the same time. He snatches his hand back just in the nick of time before she grabs it.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora hears the station manager make the last call for passengers taking the 5:00 pm leaving for Narin City. 

_Well, that’s it Goliath. I waited._

He stands, puts his hat back on, and walks over to the luggage cart with all the checked bags slated to go back to the city, preparing to grab the one he’s identified with the special tag, one that is immediately recognizable to him. But just as he reaches out, a short brunette steps right in front of him, and grabs it, and swiftly walks out the door to the platform's edge.

_F*ck, she took it. What the hell?_

He walks out slowly to where she’s standing. He stops and stands next to her, sneaking looks at her out of the corner of his eye. She looks upset.

_And she’s...she’s gorgeous. A goddamn f*cking angel._

Within moments, the train leaving for Narin pulls up and opens its doors for passengers to embark. He watches as she walks in with the bag, not even noticing him. He follows her, thinking he can at least grab the bag and make a run for it. 

He makes his way into the car she’s in, sitting down across from her. She is clearly distracted, but has the bag clutched tightly in her arms. 

_F*ck there is no way I can grab it now._

“Excuse me, miss?”

“Oh, yes? Can I help you?”

“Hey, it’s you it’s Patty, ya?  
  
“No, I think you’re mistaken. My name is Poppy.”

He’s shocked that she would give her name so freely, given she’s traveling alone.

“Oh, my apologies. I thought ya were some else.” 

There is no way he can nab the bag now, not without ripping it out of her hands and making a scene. He has to keep this particular thing low key. He doesn’t say anything else, but tips his hat to her, gets up, and leaves.

_I’ll have to track her down in the city somehow. I don’t have a train ticket, and I don’t want to be seen._

He gets in his BMW, and watches as the train pulls out of the station.

 _F*ck, Goliath, what did you get me into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a work of fiction based on "Midnight Poppyland," by Lilydusk. A few lines by Julri and Mimi (who I didn't name in this story but it is her) are verbatim from MLP; otherwise, most all other writing is my own, based on the MLP-verse! Enjoy!
> 
> Did you know...
> 
> ...that while "flapper" is used to describe women of the 1920s, it was actually not a nice way to describe a woman; it was a term used for "vulgar" women? So, yeah, I won't be using flapper to describe anyone other than Mimi or Candy. 
> 
> And I'll do my best to describe the fashion, but will share some links if I can. Here is a link to a page describing [men's fashion.](https://vintagedancer.com/1920s/1920s-fashion-men/#:~:text=1920s%20Fashion%20for%20Men,-1920s%20mens%20summer&text=Suits%3A%20Three%2Dpiece%20suits%20with,or%20shorter%20plaid%20mackinaw%20jackets.)
> 
> For a modern day example, think later seasons of [Peaky Blinders.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaky_Blinders_\(TV_series\))


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning from Moonbright, Poppy meets Erdene, an exiled heiress, and they become fast friends. Tora returns home to regroup and has to deal with his brother, Quincey, and his eccentricities. Quincey Balthuman is heir apparent to the Balthuman Outfit, but he is not who he appears to be. Thankfully, he has his brother and best friend, Tora, keeping him safe. For now.

Poppy watches as the tall dark man who mistook her for someone else tips his hat at her, and walks back off the train.

_That...that was an odd interaction. And he is quite handsome, too._

But she doesn’t give it much more thought, as she is still thinking about that tool, Julri, that cheater. Hugging her bag to her chest, she sighs deeply.

“Hey, I couldn’t help but notice, but are you okay? It’s not due to tall, dark, and handsome is it?”

Poppy looks up and across the aisle where the voice is coming from, and sees a lovely white-blonde woman with a stylish Shingle Bob smiling at her.

“Oh, um, I’m okay, and him? He’s no one. I’m fine.”

Despite her intent to reel in her emotions, she sniffs a bit loudly. She opens her bag, looking for her handkerchief, but it seems to be missing. In fact, nothing inside is even vaguely familiar.

“Here, use mine,” says the woman, handing Poppy her own linen handkerchief she’s pulled out of her own satchel.

“Oh, thank you, you’re very kind.”

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Erdene Eris Sōzokujin (相続人).”

“Nice to meet you Erdene. My name is Poppylan Wilkes. But you can call me Poppy.”

“Charmed. What’s bringing you to Narin City, Poppy?”

“Well, how long do you have? I have quite a story,” says Poppy with a tearful laugh.

“I have plenty of time. In fact, I’d rather like to invite you over for tea once we pull into Narin proper.”

Poppy hesitates just a bit. She’s still so wary of strangers.

“Please, Poppy, it is not a bother, and I promise I will not bite. You’re safe with me. Cross my heart.”

Erdene is being so kind, and really, at this moment, she could really use a friend, especially one who lives in the city.

“Alright. I accept. I’d be honored to have tea with you, Erdene.”

“It’s settled then. I have something I’d like to chat with you about as well. Things that I think may just help you out, depending on what you tell me. But I have my suspicions. Is it about a man?”

“Oh? Well, you might be right.” Poppy looks pensive again, as, yes, it is about a man, a **_cheating rat fudging cretin one_** , at that.

“And how would you feel about a little bit of...adventure in the city? Something so new and different, it will make your Moonbright man a mere puff of a memory?”

Poppy considers what Erdene asks. After a few minutes, she decides to pull up her proverbial big-girl pantaloons and replies, “First, I’ll share with you more about my day. As I may have implied, it’s been a doozy so far. Then you can tell me more about these new and different opportunities, the adventures. Does that sound good to you?”

“Deal!” Erdene gives her a big smile. So Poppy starts telling her story, right from the top of the day down, as the train continues on its way.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora arrives back in Narin City, parking his car on the street out front of Balthuman Manor. Holding his jacket over his left shoulder and with a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth, he enters the manor, making his way to the back, Quincey’s wing. He walks slowly up to Quincey Balthuman’s door, opening it, thinking of what he’ll need to do next to get that bag. But he keeps thinking of that woman’s face, completely distracted, stopping in the doorway.

_This is a big city. How the f*ck am I gonna find her? I should have gone to the station to watch people get off the train. Too late for that now._

“Oh, hey there, honey, where have you been? I called your place, and you didn’t answer.” Quincey’s voice startles him a bit.

“None of ya fuckin’ business, ya fairy. I wasn’t home.”

He then slowly enters the room, shutting the door behind him, throwing his jacket on the chair next to where Quincey is sitting. Quincey is stylish as ever, wearing a chartreuse silk dressing gown with a cream-colored satin cravat and grey pants.

Quinceton Balthuman, a.k.a. Quincey, a.k.a. Quincess, a.k.a. Princess, pen name QB Noyouko is... _something_. He is the son of the Outfit’s head goon, Vincent, and younger brother in all but blood to Tora, who is also his bodyguard.

While he assumes a pure gangster persona publicly within the Outfit (and this is _as needed_ of course), privately he is a homosexual, and abhors the mafia, violence and all, wanting as little to do with it as possible. Lucky for him, his father is greedy and wants to hold onto his power, so Quincey is allowed to engage in his “fantasies,” dabbling in his side interests, for now. At best, he is tolerated.

He is the owner of the prominent speakeasy in the city, “The Secret Garden,” and lives part-time in the luxury penthouse above it. Logically, the club has an ample supply of hootch, cigarettes, and women, due to Outfit connections, but that’s the limit of any Outfit pandering allowed. It’s such a good money maker for everyone, though, so it’s actually another pass for him, allowing him to stay out of the Outfit operations.

However, as Vincent’s son, he is naturally a higher up and second in power, next to Martin, in the Outfit, so there are some aspects of the Outfit that he cannot avoid.

A man who wears many hats, he is also a writer, publishing best selling dime novels and pulp fiction as well as secret pornographic material, under an assumed name, one he borrows from his brother. He’s been dabbling in bluesies, or Tijuana Bibles, and newer smut, material he’s been preparing to publish in semi-pornographic men’s magazines. He’s already signed on to publish in _Burten’s Follies_ , despite it being primarily a heterosexual tome. He has been working with the editor to carefully push the boundaries, and has hopes his column will be a hit. At worst, he may end up publishing his own magazine. He’s titled this inaugural column _The Secret Garden_ , natch.

“Well, as usual, you’re just a ray of f*cking sunshine. Anyways, I have some stuff I want to read to you. Have a seat.”

“Another time, Quince. I’m tired, and I got..I got stuff to do tonight.”

“You mean after the club closes, ya?”

“Yes, Quince. Of course.”

_Sigh._

He always forgets his “duty,” his obligation, serving as head of security at the club. It’s boring as f*ck the majority of the time, but once in a while, he gets to break up a fist fight, rescue a cigarette girl from some thug grabbing her ass, or cut off a souse who’s had too much to drink.

Worse, he has to deal with all the risqué flappers throwing themselves at him. He just isn’t interested, as he could give a rat f*ck about ‘em. After one too many one-night stands at the club, he just doesn’t like being so objectified by women. He even gets propositioned by men sometimes, and he has to struggle to be civil to all of them.

But he also has to remember that the stuff he does with Quincey--yes, even listening to his embarrassing smutty shit writing--actually benefits him, as he doesn’t have to do as much of the other stuff he hates the most--the hits, the collections, and the meetings. Those lousy, stinking Outfit dinners _are awful_.

“Alright, Quince. Just let me freshen up, and I'm all yours.”

“Wonderful! I’ll be waiting with bated breath, honey!”

Tora rolls his eyes. _What a friggin’ prancy ass you are, Quince._

He walks off, heading for the water closet, so he can take a piss, and splash a bit of water on his face.

His mind wanders back briefly to the bag.

_How the hell am I going to find her? All I know is her name. Poppy. A flower. And a beautiful one._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

By the time the train pulls into the Narin City station, Poppy has moved to sit next to Erdene, and they are both laughing boisterously after an hour of discussion.

“And he told me, ‘I didn’t mean to take your shoes…’”

Erdene had just finished a funny story about one of her many beaus, one who had a shoe fetish.

They disembark, making their way through the depot. Erdene then walks to the front door and out the exit, Poppy following a few steps behind.

“Come on, Pops. My driver should be outside.”

Sure enough, outside at the curb is a silver Rolls Royce, a chauffeur standing next to it.

“Hello, Richard. This is Poppylan. Let’s get home. Do you have any luggage, Poppylan?”

“Nope, just this bag here.” Poppy lifts her bag to show Erdene.

“Right, ma’am. Very nice to meet you, Miss Poppylan.”

The driver opens the rear door for them, and they both get in.

Erdene lives in “upper” Narin City, a district Poppy has never visited before--heck, she didn't even know about it. The huge house where Erdene lives has a tall fence with a locked gate. Richard gets out, opens the gate, and drives through. He then stops, closes the fence behind him, and gets back in, then pulls up in the circular driveway by the front door.

“Welcome to my happy home!” smirks Erdene.

Poppy is stunned at the place. It is just lovely, the biggest residence she’s ever seen, outside of motion pictures.

“Oh, my heavens, Erdene, you _ **live** _here?”

“Yep. I’m what you would call an ‘heiress,’ Pops. It means I’m filthy rich, and can basically do whatever I want. Even though mommy and daddy are not happy with me right now. But I have a trust fund, so I don’t care.”

Erdene’s attitude is frankly infectious, and Poppy smiles at her new-found friend’s enthusiasm.

“Come on, I’ll give you the tour.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora is at his wits end. He’s been listening to Quincey read his manuscript for what seems like hours and hours, but it’s only been about 45 minutes. He needs a release. He’s been sitting there, listening, while flipping through some nasty ass small pamphlets with graphic pictures, and is neither aroused nor amused. Frankly, he’s bored out of his skull.

_What I really need to do is get my ass to the gym and pound the bag for a while. But that will have to wait until tomorrow._

Right now, in his current life, there is nothing that gives him more pleasure than wailing on the punching bag. He goes to the gym daily, either punching the bag or, if lucky, sparring with other guys along with his regular calisthenics routine. Some days he does it so much his muscles burn.

His favorite place to hide is a room just a few floors above, as it's so conveniently close by. He has had to find a few of them throughout the city, as he has had to move around a lot. He’s been subjected to too many attempted hits to stay in any one place for very long.

But the room upstairs is just that, a room with a bed, a telephone, and a crapper. He doesn’t need much else. No one other than Gyu, his Outfit confidante, knows about it.

His only other real relief he seeks are the illegal fights down on the docks and other places around the city. Now _that_ is a release above all others. He rarely loses and makes some substantial pocket dough to boot.

Quincey somehow manages to buy him lots of clothes, which he can barely tolerate. He manages to leave most of the shit in one of the many spare rooms in Quincey’s wing of the manor, a lot of it never worn. Once in a while he hits the jackpot, and Quincey finds something he really likes, but most of his wardrobe is monochrome, consisting of hats, suits, ties, suspenders, and shoes--all of them are black. He’s a simple man.

“Quince, it’s time for me to go to the club. It opens in an hour. You gonna be there tonight?”

“Right. Yes, I think so. Ring the driver, and have him here in 30?”

“OK.” Tora does just that, calling the driver to show up outside in a half an hour. Tora can drive his own car, but Quincey insists on his own driver. Tora complains constantly that this is not safe enough, but Quincey doesn't listen.

“I’m going to go change now. I’ll see you there.”

He walks over to his room, and goes in, selecting some of his usual all-black attire to get dressed. He pulls apart out his top-knot, as it had unraveled after his long day. He then combs out his long black hair, and then pulls it back up into a tight bun at the nape of his neck.

_Time for another night at The Secret Garden..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have been looking into porn of the era, and found a few things:
> 
> Porn in the 1920s was [wild](https://www.vice.com/en/article/59k785/porn-from-the-1920s-was-more-wild-and-hardcore-than-you-could-imagine)!
> 
> More about [Tijuana bibles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tijuana_bible).
> 
> More about [American men’s Magazines in the Twentieth Century](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13688804.2017.1281587)
> 
> Read about [Queer Slang of the Prohibition Era](https://dannyashkenasi.com/2015/08/26/the-speakeasy-glossary-queer-slang-of-the-prohibition-era/)
> 
> More about the [Shingle Bob](https://glamourdaze.com/2020/09/four-popular-1920s-bobbed-hairstyles-of-1924.html)
> 
> And I based Erdene's last name on two different Japanese words meaning "heiress."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erdene makes Poppy an offer or two that she can’t refuse, probably shouldn’t refuse, but Poppy really needs to think about it first. And Erdene thinks she can get Poppy a job, but it’s not one she might be expecting. It’s just a typical night at The Secret Garden for Tora and Quincey, until Tora is summoned by the big boss, Vincent Balthuman. He’s head of the Balthuman Outfit, a general cad and real nasty man.

Poppy is downright flabbergasted at the opulence of Erdene’s home. It is simply lavish, and there is so much space that Poppy doesn’t know what to think.

“Come, let’s have our tea.” She pulls Poppy over to a parlor to sit in front of a vast fireplace, currently ablaze. Erdene picks up a small bell on the mantle, ringing it, and then a young girl, the maid appears. 

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I told you, Esther, call me Erdene.”

The maid blushes a bit, but relents a bit.

“Yes, Miss Erdene.”

“Could you bring some tea, dear? Thank you.”

Esther nods assent, and heads quietly towards the kitchen.

“Right. Why don’t you have a seat, Poppy.”

Poppy sits on a divan in front of a glossy low table.

“Now I have a proposition for you.”

Poppy waits for Erdene to continue. Just before Erdene speaks, Esther enters again will a full tea tray.

“I think you should move into the mansion with me.”

“Erdene, I couldn’t poss—“

“Now, now. You’ve told me all about your situation. I know you need money, and if you move in with me, it will be rent-free. Any money you make working can go into the bank. As you can see, I have _plenty_ of space.” Erdene smirks. _More space than I can shake a stick at!_

“You are very kind to offer this Erdene, but I’m a stranger. How could you possibly welcome a complete stranger in your home? I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Oh, well, Poppy, I don’t think you are a risk to me.”

“Could I perhaps think about it? Sleep on it?”

_This is just too good to be true. Am I being played? But this could really help me out. A LOT._

“Of course! Why don’t you stay here tonight? It’s getting quite late. I insist.”

Poppy hadn’t even noticed Esther moving around the parlor, slowly closing all the shutters and curtains around the room. It was quite late, after all.

“Thank you. I can’t thank you enough, Erdene. It’s been one of the worst days of my life.”

_Gran has always told me that even if I’m stuck in a situation I don’t like, the least I can do is be gracious._

“Let’s finish our tea first. Tell me more about your studies.”

“Oh right. Anyways, I graduated last spring with a degree in literature and arts. It’s not a typical degree, of course, but it’s my passion.”

“Fascinating. So you want to be a writer, yes?”

“Yes. I am a voracious reader. But it is my ultimate goal to become a writer. I’ve considered writing for a newspaper, of course, or magazines, but I’m an amateur, and well, they simply don’t hire women.”

Erdene nodded her head. _I think she has other talents she’s not even aware of. I’m going to ask more of course, and then I’ll cultivate them._

“Well, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to retire for the evening, Erdene.”

“Of course.”

Erdene walks back over to the mantle, ringing the bell again. Esther walks into the room shortly after.

“Esther, could you escort Miss Poppylan to the Yellow Room? And find her a chemise to wear to bed and take her some fresh towels.”

“Right away, Miss Erdene. Come with me, Miss Poppylan.”

Esther leads her to a beautiful room up the stairs towards the back of the house. The room is decked completely in yellow, from the bedding to the painted walls. It is five times the size of the shabby room she’s been letting at the boarding house. Esther steps back out while Poppy takes it all in.

_It even has its own bathroom? What luxury!_

Within 10 minutes, Esther reappears placing a white cotton nightdress and two white fluffy towels on the bed. 

“Do you need anything else, ma’am?”

“No, Esther, thank you so much.”

Esther nods her head, and walks back out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

She didn’t realize that she had her bag clutched in her arms again, so she takes it and places it inside the vast wardrobe in the corner of the room. She takes the nightgown and towels and enters the bathroom to clean up and prepare for bed. 

She is so tired that it’s all she can do to crawl into the vast four poster bed, pulling the covers over her lap, and she falls fast asleep, not even brushing her hair.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora arrives at the club right on time, and things are relatively quiet. About half the tables are occupied, mostly full of Outfit men with a few flappers hanging on their arms. A few scantily-clad cigarette girls wander through, doling out bathtub gin and other drinks as well as the requisite smokes.

For whatever reason, the manager of the club, Gil, is nowhere to be found. 

_F*cker is practically never around. Why the f*ck Quincey keeps him on is beyond me._

Quincey hasn’t arrived yet, so he walks up to the bar.

“Tonic.”

“You got, Big Bro.”

Gyu, the head bartender, pours him a glass of tonic. He doesn’t drink alcohol, nor any of that new fangled soda shit that’s the craze in “polite society.” 

Gyu quickly places the highball glass half full of clear liquid in front of him, and just as Tora takes a gulp of it, a woman with pink hair saunters up to him. Tora groans to himself.

_For f*ck sake, this bitch again? Why the f*ck can’t she just leave me alone?_

“Hey, Tiger, looking for some company?”

Tora rolls his eyes. 

_F*ck, no! A thousand times, no! Not you, NEVER, ever you!_

“F*ck off, Candy. You know I’m not interested.”

She gasps, and acts offended, even though this is a routine, one that he is so f*cking tired of, but she’s just so f*cking persistent.

“Well, I never.”

“Ya, that’s right. You’ll never.”

He’s a bit cruel to her, but the f*cking wench will not leave him alone. Seems like she never will. 

“I. Am. Not. Interested,” he tells her tersely.

Finally, she gets the drift and walks off. 

Blessedly, Quincey arrives at the bottom of the stairwell at the club’s entrance, and Tora becomes alert. It’s time to get to work, and his bodyguard mode engages and takes over, the annoyance and apathy at Candy’s weak attempts to get his attention, waning much faster, now that his true purpose presents itself.

He meets Quincey, nodding, and they both walk over to Quincey’s standard table in the very back. Before Quincey even has to lift his hand, Gyu rushes over with a champagne bucket full of ice. 

“Thank you, boo boo.”

“Of course, Master Balthuman.”

“Oh please, honey, you know I don’t like you to call me that. It’s Quincey.”

“Right. Sorry, Quincey. I’m still getting used to that, ya know.” 

Gyu smirks. He’s known Quincey for years, but the club is such a formal, elegant environment, he wants to be sure those around him afford Quincey the respect he deserves, regardless of the Outfit presence or not. He’s known Quincey for years, of course, but is grateful for the job, one of many unfortunately.

“Well, it’s Thursday. Doesn’t Candy perform tonight?”

“Yes, she’s set to go on in a hour. Things are generally normal for a Thursday night, though. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble, right, Big Bro?”

Gyu is trying to engage Tora. He knows Tora is annoyed as f*ck when Candy bothers him.

“Ya. That’s the plan.” 

Tora could give a shit, but it’s just another night at The Secret Garden.

A few Outfit guys get a little rowdy, and all Tora has to do is give them his requisite stare, and things calm back down.

But before Candy’s show even begins, there is a commotion at the club entrance. 

Tora looks over and sees Smithy, the primary bodyguard for Vincent Balthuman. 

_For f*ck sake, and I was looking forward to a quiet night. What the f*ck is HE doing here?_

Vincent Balthuman has arrived.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Vincent Balthuman, head boss of the Balthuman Outfit is an imposing figure. It’s through his efforts that the Balthuman Outfit is heavily invested in bootlegging, speakeasies, some illicit drugs, guns, and prostitution with clandestine (yet glaringly public) support of politicians and police within the city. If it’s illegal, they do it. He rules with an iron fist, utilizing large amounts of violence, that along with the assistance of corrupt officials who he bribes heavily. Al Capone, the capo in America, has nothing on him.

He’s trained Tora from a young age to be a cruel and efficient hit man within the Outfit. If he needs someone whacked, he doesn’t have to look anywhere else. If he needs to make a collection? Same. He gloats in how effectively he trained Tora, like a dog, like a pet to do his bidding. 

What Vincent doesn't like and now laments is how he is starting to lose some of the Outfit’s effectiveness, as newer, more daring outfits are emerging, seeking to dethrone him at as head and eliminate the Outfit as a whole. He’s now come into some information, information that needs to nipped in the bud and quick. And Tora is the man who is gonna help him succeed. He’s always taken care of business, why would this situation be any different. Well, maybe it is a little different, as it’s Tora’s brother who is involved. But all he has to do is make his usual threat to Tora to make him complicit, make him comply. To “curb his dog,” so to speak. 

_If he doesn’t do what I ask, he’s dead. Simple enough._

As he knows Tora is working at Quincey’s club, he knows where to find him. He despises the club, feels it is extravagant and flashy, but since he’s greedy to remain as head boss, he’s allowing Quincey his indulgences, but he can only tolerate so much.

Vincent slowly descends the stairs into the club. He has to take his time, as his leg is really painful today. Because of the last few attempted hits on him, he has a severe limp, one that he has to exert a tremendous amount of energy to conceal in public. But he must not appear too weak.

He and Smithy walk over to Quincey’s table. He sees the look on Quincey’s face and shakes his head. 

_That weak shit will be the death of me, but that’s not why I’m here._

“Quinceton. Tora, a word? Let’s go back to Quincey’s office, shall we?”

Tora, impassive demeanor on his face, nods, and they walk back through an unmarked door next to the bar. Smithy remains standing next to Quincey, guarding him while Tora leaves with Vincent.

Vincent walks into the office, and sits down behind Quincey’s desk. Tora remains standing.

“Right. I have a job for you.”

Tora doesn’t say anything.

“I‘ve gotten wind of something. Some information that threatens the Outfit.”

“What might that be?” Tora is genuinely curious.

“I’ve heard a rumor that there is a ledger out there. One that has all the Outfit secrets in it. One that has been compiled by _your_ brother.”

_F*ck. Cats out of the bag now._

“I know your brother has been involved in this new outfit, the Ninedaggers they call themselves? Anyways, you need to find that ledger and bring it to me.”

Tora is stoic and silent. He’s practiced at doing that, but for whatever reason, probably due to his brother’s last communication, he feigns ignorance.

“Where I am supposed to look for this ledger?”

“Find your brother first. Once you find him, kill him, and take the ledger. I know you two have been estranged for some time. Do it.”

_F*ck, kill ‘em?_

This is harsh, and since Vincent doesn’t know the half of it, he has a bit of an advantage.

“Right. I’ll get on it right away.”

“I’m glad I don’t have to elaborate. I want results. Now.”

Vincent gets up and walks back out the door. 

But Tora remains there, standing still for several minutes.

 _F*ck, Goliath. You have really made a mess of things. Now I_ **_really_ ** _need to find her and get that bag. But where do I even begin to look for her?_

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next morning Poppy wakes up to Erdene barging into her room.

“Good morning, dearie” shouts Erdene, walking over to the windows, throwing open the yellow drapes with gusto.

“I’ve found a dress that I think should fit you perfectly. I’ll leave you to get dressed. Breakfast is being served in the front room.”

Erdene walks briskly back out the door. Poppy yawns and stretches after a solid night of sleep. She cleans up, dressing herself in the most beautiful frock she's ever laid eyes on, putting her own undergarments, stockings, and shoes back on. 

She finds her way downstairs. The place is so vast, but she eventually finds her way to the sitting room, with Erdene sitting at the head of a long table, drinking a cup of something hot.

“Ah, you look fabulous! I knew the dress would suit you.”

“Thank you, it’s lovely.” The yellow fabric is silky to the touch and fits her perfectly. She never in her wildest dreams thought she’d ever be able to afford such an extravagance as this dress.

She sits down next to Erdene.

“You can have whatever you’d like for breakfast—I have the absolute _best_ cook.”

“I would love a cup of black tea with milk and sugar. I don’t need anything else, thank you.”

Erdene has another bell sitting by her place setting, and she rings it.

Esther enters the room, and she tells her to fetch the tea for Poppy.

While they wait for the tea, they start to chat again about Poppy’s efforts to find work. 

“As I mentioned to you a bit before, I’ve been to every newspaper office and publisher in the city, and well, they all tell me that a newsroom is not the place for me. It’s not just because I’m a woman, it’s because I’m green, I’m a recent graduate.”

Erdene shakes her head. _Their loss, honestly_. _She is one smart cookie._

“Tell me more about you. What are your talents? What do you do for fun? I, myself, am a sculptor. And I...I have other skills. Ones that I want to discuss a little more.”

“Well, I am a writer, of course, and I paint once in a while, but what I love the most is singing. I was in the glee club at college, and sang lead in several productions in the drama department. My radio is probably my most prized possession.”

Erdene was instantly gratified at learning this news.

Just then, Esther arrives with a laden tea tray, with a teapot, a cup, and some plain buttered toast. While Poppy only asked for the tea, she’s actually grateful for the food, as she’s quite hungry.

“Thank you, Esther. That’ll be all for now.” 

Esther nods and leaves the room.

“Anyways, I have a bit of a proposition for you, Poppylan. One that I think would be beneficial to you. But I have to admit, it’s a bit...risqué.”

What Erdene won’t yet share with Poppy are her ideas, those she had from the moment she met Poppy on the train. She wants to explore these ideas before approaching her with them, first, but she has a hunch she’s going to be right.

“This job would be in a club, a “speakeasy”—you know what that is, yes?”

Poppy nods her head yes, as of course she knows. She’s well-read, so she knows quite a bit about life and society in general, including life on the fringes. She just hasn’t lived that type of life…at least not yet.

“I think you’d be a natural as a hat check girl or even a cigarette girl at my club.”

Poppy looks at Erdene with a bit of shock on her face, but she has to admit she’s curious why Erdene would even consider her.

“Go on.”

“This is of course not what you might call a ‘legit’ job. It would be only a start, with the chance for “advancement.’”

Erdene sniggers a bit at that, but continues. 

“But the pay is good, extremely good, plus you’d get tips.”

_Well, Erdene did promise me the potential for an adventure!_

Ever demure, Poppy looks down into her teacup, considering what Erdene has just suggested. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From the moment she met Poppy on the train the day before, Erdene is convinced. She thinks Poppy would be a natural shoo-in as a burlesque girl, _the_ burlesque girl for the Garden, but will need to cultivate her a bit more. She had reasons for asking about her “talents.” 

As silent partners of the Garden, she and Quincey have been talking about putting on shows for months, but Erdene simply hasn’t yet found the right person to be the star. Quincey got the idea after his sweeping European trip, watching many such shows in Paris and Berlin. When he told Erdene about his idea, well, she was immediately _all in_. Her intent to recruit Poppy is not malicious—she doesn’t want to use or abuse her; rather, she simply knows she will be a smash. Her intuition has never failed her in these things, ever.

Of course Erdene could be the star of the show, herself, if she really wanted to. Quincey would support her to do it, and she certainly has the determination, but it’s just not really her thing. She can dance, sure, but she’s not a singer. She prefers orchestrating things behind the scenes. She has a knack for “making things happen”—kind of a talent scout and stage manager. And that’s one reason why she’s been able to work with Quincey so well. He has the actual Outfit connections, and together they have a successful partnership that has made the club such a success. Quincey is the writer, good at songwriting, and she is good at choreography. They just need someone to help them bring it all to life. Erdene is adamant in her assertions that Poppy could be—is—that someone.

Poppy is so incredibly appealing, and she is quite the opposite of the stick-figure flappers hanging around the club recently. Their lone standout right now is Candy, not the cream of the cream in any sense of the word, and frankly a bit _used_. _Woman has no real talent if you ask me_. 

But Poppy? She’s quite cherubic, curvy, and flat-out gorgeous— _luscious, forbidden, intoxicating_. Erdene is convinced that Poppy isn’t even aware of her beauty, her attractiveness. Erdene witnessed the many men staring at Poppy while they were on the train, and when they arrived at the Narin City station. Most of all—she noticed how Tora looked at her. 

She hasn’t even told Poppy how she recognized Tora on the train, that she even knows him at all. _That’ll be my secret to keep, for now._ And he must have been quite distracted, since he never noticed Erdene sitting right across the aisle from him. Erdene smirked at _that_. _Man never looked at anything but Poppy. Man never looks at women, but Poppy? Well, that alone tells me she has GOT IT._

What is so appealing about Poppy, what Erdene thinks will help her become successful, is her innocence and purity, packaged together with a sultry allure, and she thinks this persona will drive the men wild. Hell, maybe even some of the women, too. It’s an avant garde club after all. _Too bad I don’t necessarily swing that way anymore, honey_ , thought Erdene, _or I’d keep you to myself._ And Poppy’s personality so far has been hesitant, yes, but also magnetic, charming, and flirtatious. _She’s downright infectious with her charm._

Poppy has more questions than answers about working in such a place, but given what has happened to her in the last 24 hours, she needs to make a break with her old life. She’ll do it, if they will hire her. It will most definitely put her outside of her comfort zone, but she needs to live a little. _It’ll be just like performing in another play, really._

Finally, after several minutes of contemplation while Erdene drinks her coffee, waiting with baited breath, Poppy replies.

“I’ll do it.”

“Wonderful! I’ll set up an interview this afternoon with the club’s manager, Gil. You don’t have anything planned, do you?”

_Other than limping back to her room, licking her wounds? Pounding the pavement for more fruitless attempts to get a job, ANY job? Nope._

“Not at all.”

“Right, I’m going to call Gil shortly, and hopefully we can get in to talk with him right away. Is that alright?”

“That’s fine, Erdene. I want to thank you for taking a chance on me. I hope I don’t let you down.”

Poppy didn’t think she'd have a ghost of a chance to get such a job, but she thought she needed to try. She is going to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, women attended [college](https://womanofthe20s.weebly.com/education.html) in the 1920s!
> 
> Did you know...  
> ...that due to prohibition, it was common for most restaurants to sell soda/pop instead of booze. Another fact, wineries shifted to making grape juice instead of wine!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erdene brings Poppy to the club for an interview with Gil, with great success. Tora has to decide next steps to find Poppy and get that ledger.

Erdene calls up Gil, setting up an interview that very afternoon. Erdene is ecstatic that everything is going to plan so far. At first, she thinks she might doll Poppy up before they leave, but, in reality, she’s already exuding that combo of demure and sexy that Erdene is trying to sell to Gil, and to Quincey, too, in the first place, that **_je ne sais quoi_** about Poppy that she wants to emphasize. 

_Why this woman is so oblivious to her allure, I don’t know. Probably due to that asshat she was engaged to? Hmmm…. I’m going to change all that, in spades._

They arrive at the club that afternoon. The club is quiet—it’s after hours after all—and she walks briskly past all the empty tables, bringing Poppy straight to Quincey’s office, where she knows Gil is likely sitting, getting ready, preparing for the night’s business.

Gil is indeed sitting at Quincey’s desk, with papers everywhere. 

“Hello, Erdene, nice to see you. I’m just about ready for you, give me just a few more minutes.”

“Of course, Gil.” _F*cking prick. I don’t really like you in the least._

What Gil doesn’t know is that Erdene is a silent partner of The Secret Garden. He knows she moves between the hat check room and the waitressing. What he doesn't know is that if he even has an inkling, a smidge of resisting Erdene’s suggestion to hire Poppy, all she has to do is ask Quincey. He _cannot_ say no to Quincey.

Both Erdene and Poppy stand in front of Quincey’s desk, waiting for Gil to finish whatever it is he’s doing. 

_I’m surprised Gil’s even here today. I need to talk with Quincey about how many times he has simply disappeared on me, or hasn’t shown up for days at a time. I have my suspicions, but I’ve got an agenda right now, so I’ll talk to Quincey about it later, after Poppy is on the payroll._

Listening to Gil shift papers around on the desktop, Erdene can’t help but reflect—she is just so proud of the club and what she and Quincey have accomplished. With a modern, art-deco decor, she’s also managed to add her own art and sculptures to accentuate it’s modern flavor. 

And she and Quincey go back, way, WAY back. Years ago they had a fling, a hot as f*ck one. Quincey is and has been very adventurous in terms of sex, even though many think they know him, that he is simply a homosexual. Erdene just giggles, _hell, the man just likes to f*ck, period._ She, too, had her own same-sex dalliances and sexual adventures, too. She has f*cked many a person who she’d never thought possible. But _damn_ did they have lots of fun back then. Anyways, over time, she and Quincey managed to cultivate a very unique relationship, one that defies expectations and is more than just sexual. They haven’t f*cked in years, but they can’t deny their chemistry. She’s getting hot just _thinking_ about their past. _Get yourself together, Dene, you are on a mission. Project Poppylan is set to blast off!_

Gil knows how she sometimes works as a waitress or cigarette girl, but he hasn’t really paid attention to what really goes on. She actually does whatever floats her boat at that moment—mostly she picks one or the other, just for kicks and giggles; she is an heiress living off grid and is in deep rebellion, and he is oblivious to her work to guide Candy onto the stage, fledging efforts at that. _F*ck Gil, I just want to FEEL._

“Okay, ladies, sorry for the wait. So, you want to hire Poppy? What would you want her to do here?”

Gil then looks at Poppy, quickly assessing her from where he’s sitting. He peers at her surreptitiously, and he’s a bit hesitant to consider her for the club—at all. She is clearly more cutie, kewpie doll than flapper for sure, so he doesn’t really think she’s a fit. Most of the flappers he’s hired are, after all, tall, thin and flat chested. And Poppylan is...well, she’s shorter, voluptuous, and busty. Personally, he doesn’t get her allure. But then again, Gil is so...not with it.

Erdene knows she’s gotta push Poppy’s charm, as Gil is just a stick-in-the-mud. _Really, Gil? You don’t notice how f*cking pretty she is? How she is just so ebullient?? F*ck Candy, Poppy is so much hotter. She is steaming HOT!_

“Gil, I think she has potential. I’m only asking to start her as a hat check or even a cig girl, at most.” 

Erdene has to be—is insistent. _This touchhole is DONE_ , thinks Erdene. 

“I’ll take full responsibility for her.”

This is all a bit awkward for Poppy, having them talk about her without actually interacting with her, making her that more hesitant. But she channels that feisty part of herself, that part of her who her father always admired the most.

Just as Poppy gets ready to say something to this creep, this ass who doesn’t even want to talk to her directly, Gil responds with a huge sigh.

“Fine. She’s in. Start her as a cig girl. We lost one last night.”

Erdene could give a f*ck why Gil might consider someone “lost,” she’s just pleased that she doesn’t have to fight him to get Poppy in the door.

“Wonderful! I’ll take her to the back room, get her wardrobe set. When can she start?”

“Well, she can start tonight. And you are going to train her, yes?”

“Of course, Gil. Not a problem.” 

_Pfft. Not like you trained any of them, you f*cking shit._

She and Quincey **really** need to talk about Gil, and not a moment too soon.

“Right, here’s some paperwork for you to fill out, Poppylan. Welcome to The Secret Garden.”

Gil hands Poppy a piece of paper, and she takes it, looking over to Erdene, who shrugs her shoulders in reply. _The paperwork is legit, but I don’t care._

“Let’s go back and find you the proper wardrobe.” 

They don’t even look up at Gil, and they walk back out the office door. Erdene walks to the other side of the bar, where another door is hidden. They walk through it, and amongst the maze of rooms behind the bar, they end up in a room full of dresses, tuxedos, hats, gloves, shoes, and props.

Erdene makes a beeline to one part of the room, and she gets to work, sorting through dresses to find what she’s looking for. Poppy needs to shine tonight, so she can show her off and then talk candidly with Quincey about her plans. He has to see her promise, and Erdene knows he’ll support her in her quest. They’ve known each other too long, not to trust each other, especially in this type of thing. 

_Welcome, indeed, Poppylan. Your life will never be the same, honey._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora wakes up in his hideaway room above the gym, and the first thing he thinks about is how the hell he’s going to find her, find Poppy. He wishes he knew more—hell, he _wants_ to know more about her. His morning wood stands at attention, and he’s feeling it much more than usual. The thought of her is getting his juices flowing, after all. He dreamt about her all night, having her in his bed, ravishing her, wondering how she smells. _F*ck._ He debates stroking one off, he is so hard. Then a bit of reality sinks in.

 _I don’t have a f*cking clue how I’m going to track her down. Do I go back to the train station? Could Gyu even_ **_get_ ** _a manifest of passengers who bought tickets yesterday, confirming someone named “Poppy” was a passenger?_ He knows he’ll have to ask anyways. He’d ask tonight when he gets to the Garden.

He also remembers her face, how lovely she is—and how far removed from his world she likely lives in.

_She sure as shit is not a flapper, that’s for sure. She’s too beautiful to be a part of my f*cked up world. That makes finding her all the more difficult, for f*ck sake._

He gets up, splashing his face with water, ignoring his throbbing dick, deciding right there and then to go down and pound the bag for a while. He does some of his best thinking while smacking his fists on that leather. He gets his workout clothes on, and knows he needs to eat some breakfast first, then it’s the bag.

He eats quickly, then skips rope, lifts some barbells, and does a series of squats before he wraps his hands and begins to pound the bag. He smacks away for some time, all while watching the clock on the wall. He knows at some point he’ll have to call Quincey to see if he needs him for anything, at all, especially since it’s Friday—a prime night for the club. He f*cking **_hates_ ** Fridays for just that reason. 

He groans as he’ll have to deal with Candy, yet again, and all the other f*ckers who crowd the place, all looking for release after a long week of shit. He’ll also have to strategize about how to even _begin_ to come up with a plan to look for that piece of luggage, for _her._ He feels hopeless, but for once, it’s actually a little bit different. He really wants to find her, and is looking forward to it, to seeing her face again. His cock twitches a bit at the thought of her mouth, and those beautiful brown eyes. He hasn’t even thought of a woman in such a way, ever. He’s f*cked his share of broads, sure, but they were not anything substantial, nor had they ever had any attraction to him. Just an easy lay, to get some release. But her? She is something very different indeed. He shakes himself out of his lustful reverie, realizing he needs to go call Quincey. And maybe take a cold shower.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 _I know I have some seriously mad skills_ , thinks Erdene, as she finds the most skimpy cig outfit as possible for Poppy to wear that night, one that might even be a size too small. It’s not easy. Even though Poppy is quite voluptuous, she’s also quite petite. Erdene has always designed costumes for the women—and increasingly some men—to be as skimpy as possible—short little dresses and outfits, mere scraps of cloth, as at the Garden, they always do what all the other clubs don’t—make the women and men as f*ckable as possible. 

_I vow, Poppy is gonna make the men_ **_and_ ** women _cream their pants. She is going to be the talk of the club, I guarantee it._

As unofficial “artistic director” and “director of talent acquisition” at the Garden, she’s convinced that her substantial efforts to make Poppy into the f*cking sexiest cigarette girl that ever graced the club will be a sight for everyone to witness. She is beyond eager to share her thoughts about what Poppy can do with Quincey. Well, at least in Erdene’s eyes, she’s convinced of it. She's going to milk her partnership to it’s very edge tonight. The first step of many, of course.

 _He has_ ** _got_** _to see what I see, we are so in sync._ _We’ve been talking about this idea for so long, and when I tell them she’s an actress who sings? He will be begging to get Poppy on stage._

And she knows Tora will be there. She loves to f*ck with him. She’s just thankful that for once, she might actually make him flinch a little bit. 

After a period of time, it seemed to Poppy to take much too long, Erdene finishes, smiling widely, admiring her handiwork. Poppy is standing in front of her, timid as ever, but stunning in her new costume. Erdene has designed these costumes herself, based on a [ French maid ](https://www.deuxfilles.net/maids_dhier.html)’s uniform. It takes Clara Bow’s little black dress, and well, sexes it right the f*ck up. 

The sleeves are three-quarter with broad lace cuffs. The scooped neckline is low, and Poppy’s substantial bosom peeks out of the top. The short skirt ends just over Poppy’s apple-shaped ass, not even hitting her mid-thigh, and Erdene’s design includes an added bit of ruffled petticoat underneath, with short black tap pants peeking out. There is a mere slip of an apron tied around her waist, and she’s wearing thigh-high black stockings attached via black garters attached to the tap pants. It’s all topped off with a choker-ribbon round her neck, a frilly bandeau in her hair, and higher than normal heels with bows on her feet. 

_Those f*ck me shoes get me every time._

Erdene admits that she herself is now in a serious state of lust. But she has to get back on track. _Focus, woman._

She tells Poppy to sit down, so she can carefully add just a touch of makeup to Poppy’s face—cake mascara on her naturally thick lashes, rosy blush on her cheeks, and bright red lipstick. Poppy is just so naturally beautiful, she doesn’t need to add much at all. 

Erdene decides not to change the Psyche Knot Chignon hairdo Poppy already has. 

_I don’t ever want this woman to cut her hair, EVER._

She guesses that it’s long, reaching past her ass. 

_Lady Godiva, here we come!_

She dismantles Poppy’s hairdo, as it looks a bit flat after Poppy slept on it the night before, pulling out the pins she’s wearing and letting the locks fall. 

_Yep, it’s past her waist. F*ck me, I love it when I’m right!_

Erdene then brushes it all out, getting out any existing snarls, and then sweeps all that lucious brown hair back up into its flattering chignon form, adding the pins and bandeau back. The entire get-up is beyond what Erdene had dreamed was possible.

_She is going to be the most f*ckable woman in the club, tonight, I guarantee it. Ha, she’s gonna shove Poppy in Candy’s face, that’s for sure. Even Quincey may be attracted to her._

She hasn’t been this excited in a very long time.

“Well, Poppylan, you are going to be a hit. I know it. Turn around and take a look in the mirror.”

Poppy feels a bit self-conscious, but she decides to take a look. Erdene put so much effort getting to this point, so she has to humor her. She looks up and is astounded to see herself in the mirror.

_Wow. Is that me?_

She turns around to see the full costume from every angle. 

“You weren’t kidding when you said this job might be risqué!” 

“Well, it’s now 6 o’clock, Pops. The club will open before long, so there’s no point in you taking all of this off. Let’s go over what you need to do to be a cig girl. I need to get you a tray. All cig girls carry a tray.”

Erdene finds a spare tray, and shows Poppy how to sling it over her shoulders. Poppy wastes no time putting it on.

_Holy f*ck—that tray is going to sit just below her breasts the entire night. I’m gonna need a cold shower if I don’t stop ogling her!_

She then spends a substantial amount of time explaining what is asked of being a cig girl. Poppy will have to walk the floor, selling cigarettes and booze, and once she sells what’s on her tray, she’ll return to the office for cigarettes and the bar for drinks, to replenish her supply. She gets two 15 minute breaks, and will work until the night is over, probably until 2 AM when the bar stops serving hooch.

“If ever anyone, ANYONE grabs your ass and you don’t like it, you need to speak up. We have security here for a reason. Some cig girls are more tolerant of that shit, and some frankly are asking for it. There will be people talking to you, and there is not as much we can do about that, unfortunately. The talk from the guys can be bad, gets bad, but just ignore it if you can. I know this is your first day, so don’t put up with anyone’s shit, you hear me?”

“Yes, of course.”

_Men are gonna touch me? And what the fudge might they say to me? What the heck did I just sign up for?_

“OK, it’s time for me to start getting dressed, so have a seat. It won’t take me long as I took with you.”

_You, dear Poppylan, are special, so I had to be methodical in my magic to get you outfitted._

“As soon as I’m ready, we’ll go work with Gil and Jacob—he’s the club maître d'—to get the tables all in order, and connect with Gyu—he’s the head bartender—to see if we need to replenish the stock behind the bar. I’ll answer any questions as we go. Then we can go to the office to wait. I’ll introduce you to some of the other cig girls working tonight, if there’s time. The club opens at 9, and we will stock up our trays 5 minutes before—less chance of spilling drinks that way. Candy, our standard act, goes on at 10:30. We generally don’t circulate the floor as much when she sings. It will be a long night, but it will be worth it, especially the tips.”

_I think Poppy might even break a record for tips tonight. And maybe the nights we have to put up with Candy’s act are now numbered. Either way, I’m going to stick as close to her as possible tonight, and introduce her to Quincey if I can finagle it._

“It might be difficult and tiring, but I support you 100%—you are gonna be great.”

_I hope you’re right, Erdene. I don’t have much a choice now._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just another Friday night at The Secret Garden, right? Wrong. It’s Poppy’s first night, and she’s a bit nervous. Tora laments being there, again, another tiresome weekend at the Garden, but he makes a discovery, a very pleasant one.

After talking to Quincey, Tora finds out he doesn’t need him and has the rest of the day to himself, until the club opens of course. He decides to run around the park for a while, to get more exercise in. And hopefully banish _her_ from his mind. The day is cold but dry, so he should be able to get several miles in before he has to go back and get ready for the night.

He returns from his run after an hour, then takes a long hot shower at the gym. She has been mostly banished from his kind. Mostly. The hot water feels pretty good, as his muscles are sore, and he is soaked in sweat.

After getting out and drying off, he gets dressed, but not for the club. He still has plenty of time, so he decides to meander over to the train station to walk around and get a sense of its layout. He arrives and sees it’s not really that large, given the size of the city, which is a bit surprising. He _was_ going to talk to someone at the ticket counter, but doesn’t even try. He didn’t intend to draw any attention to himself, but people are starting to notice him. They always do when he goes to such a public place with too many people. 

_F*ck, I’ll just ask Gyu tonight. Too many people have seen me._

He returns to the gym, seeking to connect with any many of his men as possible who might be around. He thinks they need much more substantial training, 'and needs to scare the f*cking shit out them. But no one is there. 

_Well this day has been a f*cking bust._

He decides right then, he’s going to go Quincey’s to get dressed and ready for the night. It’s now 6:00, and he doesn’t want to sit around, doing nothing. And he wants to talk to the pansy ass f*cker, to convince him to ride together, for his safety. 

_Not that he’ll listen to me. What will it take, for f*ck sake? An attempted hit? I know he doesn’t have to deal with it like I do, or even his f*cking father does but still. There’s always the possibility._

His gets into BMW, and it purrs like a kitten as he drives. He makes it to the manor in no time flat. 

Walking in, the place is quiet. A little too quiet. He discovers Quincey asleep in his room. Feeling malevolent, he sneaks in and smacks Quincey in the face with a pillow. He’s gratified by Quincey’s squeal of alarm. 

“Tora, you cretin, I was asleep!”

“Quince, it’s 6:30 at night. On a Friday. Ya shouldn’t be sleeping so late.”

“F*ck off, I can sleep whenever I want to.”

Quincey is such a simpering shit, but Tora doesn’t care.

“You eat?”

“No, so let’s go see what chef can whip us up quick. Fridays are always the tough ones aren’t they.”

Tora just grunts in reply. Despite the light-hearted comment, he just wishes he could have the night off. 

_Just one Friday off, Quince. Just ONE. Give me my usual—meat, meat, and more meat and let me have some peace for once._

He only seeks his usual allotment of protein to keep his bulk sustained. Everything else means f*ck all to him.

They both walk off toward the kitchen, seeking nourishment.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy and Erdene are of course still at the club, working their asses off. Poppy meets Jacob who is a bit skinny. He tells her he is engaged, working there to make some money before he gets married. But they don’t really have that much more time to chat, but he seems nice enough.

Next, she meets a couple of the other cig girls, especially one with bright pink hair—Candy her name is. And Candy is...well, she’s more than a bit of a harlot, she is...horrible, Poppy thought.

It’s another one of the cig girls who introduces her to Candy, and Poppy gives her a very simple greeting.

“Hello.”

Candy nods back at Poppy, with a bit of a sneer on her face. 

“Charmed.” 

Poppy has no clue the real reason for the look on Candy’s face, though. The moment Candy laid eyes on Poppy, it’s all she can do to keep her wits about her. Candy can see—and she knows—this fresh-faced small woman is now her competition, and begins to wonder what management is up to, hiring this little vixen. 

_I have got to get my shit together, or I’m toast. Suck it up, Candy, and put your smile back on. You are NOT getting tossed._

She tries to shift her grimace into a warm smile, but it fails miserably, at least from Poppy’s point of view. Candy is so unsettled, she walks back out the office door. She can’t stand next to this new girl for a second more.

Poppy watches her leave, and waits for Erdene to come back.

_Huh. Candy is something… and the way that she looked at me when I said hello? Like something stuck on the bottom of her shoe? Pfft, go pound rocks, lady. Except she’s not a lady, not really._

Erdene comes back to join her in the office, as Gyu is all set for liquor, so they actually have a little time to sit and relax before the night really begins.

“Well, Pops, what do you think so far?”

“Jacob is nice. Haven’t met Gyu yet, but the night is still young. And Candy?” She looks up to be sure Candy is not in the room and out of earshot. She’s not around, so Poppy continues.

“Candy is...nasty, Erdene. Just nasty.”

Erdene laughs. _You are spot on, girl, spot on._

“Yeah, she’s something. She’s our only singer right now.” 

_But I don’t think she will be for long, mark my words. I have plans, Pops, big BIG plans for you!_

Poppy is intrigued about what songs Candy will sing, how many songs her set will cover, and so forth, but not sure she’ll have a moment to watch her but she’ll be able to listen.

Suddenly, Erdene tells her it’s time. 

_It’s time. Whew. You can do it, Pops. Just like all those plays and glee concerts at college. It’s just another performance, and you are going to knock their socks off._

She takes a deep breath, walking out the office door—SHOWTIME.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After a hearty meal, both Quincey and Tora travel back upstairs to dress themselves for the night. They usually wear suits that are a bit more formal than those they typically wear during the week, of course, but it’s also not the formal wear that is all the rage.

Of course, Quincey is aware that black is _the_ only color to wear in the evenings, but even he pushes the envelope during the weeknights the club is open. Tora doesn’t care—he just prefers black. 

But on the weekends? It has to be all black for Quincey, with a starched, high collar white cotton shirt, a black bow tie, the black trousers with the sharpest creases, finished with shiny patent leather black shoes. His own version of a tuxedo. Once in a while he mixes it up by wearing some two-tone wingtips and pinning a rose or orchid to his lapel. But not tonight.

Neither wears the typical tailcoats either, as neither seems to be able to tolerate such conventional shit, mixing it up with black bow ties instead of white, and Quincey simply refuses to wear a top hat, opting instead for the stereotypical mafioso felt fedora, just as Tora wears every day. So on the weekends they appear practically identical in their grab. One is dark and one is light, one with slicked back white blonde hair, the other dark with a tight topknot. One has golden amber eyes, the other luscious green. One has a tendency to be ostentatious, the other subdued, just like two sides of a coin. Hell, they complement each other, and present a formidable front at times, scaring some of the lesser goons of the Outfit. The only other difference between the two is that Quincey’s fedora has a purple band, while Tora’s is all black. 

Tora is ready half an hour before Quincey, so he’s downstairs smoking, waiting for Quincey to finish up.

_F*cking princess always takes way too long to get dressed. If he doesn't finish in the next five minutes, we’re going to be late, and we’ll have to deal with the crowds._

“OI, Quince. Get the lead out. We gotta go. And I am driving you tonight. End of discussion.” Tora yells at him up the stairs.

 _Probably won’t even hear me._ _Typical._

Just as he finishes yelling, turning back to return to the front parlor, Quincey comes down the stairs.

“Really, honey, you don’t need to shout. And I really think I should call the driver.”

“NO! We are late, and we don’t have time for that.”

Quincey blanches at his insistence, but relents, conceding that they really don’t have the time to wait. 

_At least he has a BMW and not some shabby Ford model._

“Right, let’s go, ya fairy. Time’s a wasting.”

Quincey glares at him, grabs his top coat, and they both walk out the door.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

They arrive at the club, and witness the line of people standing outside, waiting to enter. 

_This is why we need to be on time. Too many people are here watching us, for f*ck sake._

They quickly go down the stairs, Quincey checking his coat, flirting with the coat check boy. 

“C’mon, Romeo. Tick, tock.”

He grabs Quincey by his collar, and moves him along.

“Really, Tora, you don’t have to be such a savage!”

_Pfft. Ya I do, you f*cking flirt. You’d charm the veneer off a table if you thought you could._

He pushes Quincey ahead of him, trying not to be so rough, but he can’t help himself. He wants to get into the corner and hide from Candy as soon as possible. Quincey just doesn’t get how much Tora despises working there when it’s so crowded.

“All right, ALL RIGHT. I’m going! Geesh!”

Quincey roughly pulls himself out of Tora’s grasp. 

_Why the f*ck does he have to do that?!? That ape just doesn’t know how to have any fun. HA, probably needs to get laid._

Tora rolls his eyes, trying to get his annoyance in check. 

_He has no f*cking clue what I’m dealing with right now. And he won’t know about it, as far as I’m concerned._

“After you, Master Balthuman,” he says to Quincey sarcastically.

Quincey gives him a shady look, making Tora smirk and laugh a little. 

_I know how to push ya buttons, ya filthy f*ck._

Finally, they both sit down at Quincey’s table, and Gyu, looking sharp in his own get-up for the night, walks over.

“Yo, Quincey. You want the usual? Something different tonight?”

“Boo boo, I want something completely distinct tonight. I’m a little sick of champagne. I want something I haven’t had in awhile. I want...a Dubonnet. Anything to make that dreadful Outfit gin palatable.”

Gyu has to think a minute about how to make one, but then he remembers. Quincey had him make him one several weeks ago.

“You got it, bro. Tora? Your usual?”

Tora just nods. Tonic. Simple. Dry. Bitter. 

Gyu walks back to the bar, to get their drinks before the club opens. He brings them to the table in less than 15 minutes. 

_Man is an artist_ , thinks Quincey, nodding appreciately as Gyu sets the glass in front of him.

“Keep ‘em coming, tonight, boo boo.”

Gyu nods, and rushes off, to make sure he’s at his station, roaring to go for a Friday night at The Secret Garden. He needs to chat with Quincey later, as he thinks they need two bartenders on the weekends. It’s been taxing to keep up with the demand the past few weekends.

Quincey and Tora sit and sip their respective drinks in silence, as they wait for the bouncers to open the gates. They don’t have to wait long, and people start streaming down the stairs. Then they watch as the office doors open and the cigarette girls come walking out. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy walks out the office door behind Erdene, nervous as nervous can be. She watches how quickly the club has people lined up, with Jacob rapidly escorting people in. It’s really filled up quickly in just a few minutes. She hopes that she manages not to spill anything nor gain any undue attention. She doesn’t even notice the two glamorous well-dressed men in the back corner. She sets off, starting in the far corner, a spot adjacent to where the other cig girls have wandered off to.

Erdene keeps walking past Poppy, quickening her pace, and while people are still streaming in and being ushered to their seats by Jacob, she makes a beeline to Quincey’s table.

“Quincey!”

He looks up to see her in her saucy maid outfit, and grins his ass off.

“Dene, sweetie! How are you?”

Erdene is just so excited, she can’t help herself. She kisses Quincey full on the lips with a bit of passion. 

_F*ck I have not done that in like forever! I gotta tone it down!_

Quincey is a bit shocked, but f*ck he loves the woman, and puts a little fervor into kissing her back.

“Dene, what’s up? Not that I don’t love you, but something is going on, ya?”

“Well, I’m just so excited. You remember what we talked about? The show? I think I’ve found our star. But she’s going to need a little bit of work to get her up to snuff.”

“Oh, really?” 

Quincey is now excited, too. They have been talking about putting on burlesque shows for weeks now, but Erdene has lamented as they really need to find someone with real talent. Someone who is NOT Candy. He had to agree on that front. Woman is a dumb Dora, a hag, honestly.

“Yes, and she’s here tonight. If I can, I’ll introduce her. But I want to have a little fun, too.”

She looks over at Tora, smirking. 

_Wonder if the Tiger will notice her, too. He is going flip. F*ck I love to make that man squirm._

“Honest, Quince. She is a certified canary. But anyways, let’s just see if you can pick her out.”

Erdene is outright taunting Quincey, as she is simply in such a state, feeling so much lust and passion that she just can’t help herself.

_How long will it take him I wonder. He HAS to see what I see in her. Hell, he might even want to f*ck her, himself. AHHH. I’m just so evervated, I can’t stand it._

“Anyways, Queen, I gotta go.” She uses her pet name for him, kissing him again, on the cheek, and gets to work, starting to circulate to the nearby tables.

“Cigarettes? Gin?” Giving her standard ask to all the Outfit men and women. 

Quincey is now on high alert to find her, but Tora? He’s oblivious. He didn’t hear a word Dene said, didn’t even acknowledge her. He barely noticed her walking up to them.

_Woman always gets me all riled up, for f*ck sake. I am not gonna talk to her, not now. I gotta watch out for that bitch, Candy._

While he sits and watches for Candy to appear, he also does his own standard sweep of the club. It’s simply too crowded not to pay attention, specifically to those who may try and approach Quincey. He has some of his men on the periphery, of course, some of his best, watching as well. 

He watches the cig girls wander about, but his gaze never lingers long on them. But then, suddenly he notices one who is not like the others. Not in the least.

_F*ck she is not the usual type to work here. What the hell, Gil?_

But then again, she’s also gotten his full attention. Candy now seems like a distant memory, and he doesn’t give her another thought.

He notices this woman wander in and out of tables on the other side of the club. She is...HOT. The other girls are shapeless stick figures compared to her. 

He never thought he had a type, even after all the one night stands, but now? Now I **know** I do. Just like _her,_ he smirks to himself. He takes a big sip of his tonic at that thought. He can’t help but notice that many of other the men and women around the club are staring at her just as much as he is.

_Who is she? Is she new? I’d really like her to come over here, or maybe I can walk over there? But f*ck, I can’t leave the table. C’mon sweetheart, turn around. Come over here. I want to see your face. I hope it’s as phenomenal as your body._

His pants are starting to get pretty f*cking tight watching her move around, serving drinks and cigarettes on a tray that is sitting just beneath her full breasts. 

_Christ, that tray makes her breasts pop, f*ck they are mouth watering. Has she noticed that? Does she not care? I know I don’t._

He wants to bury his face in those breasts, no doubt about it. Then he shakes his head, as he realizes he needs to continue his sweep. He can’t afford such distractions, really, but as the night crawls on, he finds his eyes keep seeking her out, going back to the petite figure making her way around the far side of the floor. 

Then she suddenly walks up to the bar, talking to Gyu. He actually feels a little jealous at that. She says something to him, and they both laugh. Then she walks away, going back into the office for whatever reason.

_Must be her break? Gotta be that, why else would she be going back there?_

He honestly knows nothing about such machinations at the club. Not his domain in the least except for beating off the occasional letch, and he knows that Gil hires the girls. But it takes him an inordinate amount of discipline NOT to get up and walk in there after her. Duty calls, after all.

_F*ck, I wish I could take a break, too. F*ck my life. Maybe I need a bathroom break? Hmmm..._

There is just something about her, something alluring and...vaguely familiar. What could it be? Does he know her? 

_Do I want to know her? F*ck yes._

He lights a cigarette, taking a huge drag. Then he does it, he gets up, making excuses to get across the floor as soon as possible, the only way he knows how.

“Gotta take a leak, Quince. Be right back.”

He doesn’t even wait to find out if Quincey heard him. Time is of the essence. He nods his head to Damien, his closest man standing nearby, so he can come over and take his place and sit with Quincey. He then walks off towards the water closet, via the bar and adjacent office door, of course. He wants to be as close to that door as possible, because she just might, JUST might walk out when he’s walking past. And to his utter delight, it happens.

Just as he walks slowly past the bar, the office door opens, and she walks back out. 

_Thank f*ck._

But then he gets a shock, a really pleasant one, as he sees her face and a fully restocked tray in front of her chest.

She doesn’t look up as he comes to a complete stop in front of her, lit cigarette starting to fall out of his mouth. He has an instant hard-on so painful, he hopes the club is dark enough, that no one else will see the obvious bulge. But he sees her, oh boy, does he see her. She is more beautiful, more attractive than the last time he saw her on the train. 

_It’s her. It’s f*cking HER._

For the first time ever in his life, he is pleased, _ecstatic,_ to be at the Garden on a Friday night. 

_Things are starting to look up, sweetheart…. You make Candy look like a nun._ _Thank you, Gil, you motherf*cker, for hiring her. You’ve redeemed yourself, for now._

Then she walks right past him, quietly saying, “Excuse me,” smelling like a dream, and effectively taming the Tiger of Ares Street, for now.

_I am in deep shit now, Goliath._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Links of note used for this chapter:
> 
> 1920s Men’s Fashion  
> [1920s Drink Recipes](%E2%80%9C)  
> [1920s Gangster Slang](%E2%80%9C)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just another Friday night The Secret Garden, right? WRONG.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “She was beautiful, but not like those girls in magazines. She was beautiful, for the way she thought. She was beautiful, for the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. She was beautiful, for her ability to make other people smile, even if she was sad. No, she wasn't beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul. She is beautiful.”
>> 
>> —F Scott Fitzgerald

Since the brief conversation earlier that night with Erdene, Quincey has been sitting in his corner, equal parts mystified and invigorated. With Tora by his side as ever, he’s been watching the crowd, particularly the cig girls. He doesn’t normally pay any attention to them whatsoever, certainly not as closely as he does the belles he has hired to work Saturdays, the Garden’s unofficial queer cabaret nights, but he is feeling so titillated, so aroused, every good looking person he sees only makes his dick twitch in anticipation. 

Hell, this has been hands-down one of the best Friday nights, ever, better than he’s experienced in some time. Usually the most entertaining part of his people-watching at the club is the hilarious shit Candy pulls every time she tries to seduce Tora. 

_That woman doesn’t have a chance in hell with him. I don’t know if any woman will. The man is practically a eunuch…but of course I know better. But Candy? I mean she is clueless. And where is she tonight, anyways—she hasn’t made an appearance yet, oddly enough. Doesn’t matter—she’s going to go out on stage soon, singing her mediocre songs with her dreary voice. Luckily her sleazy body distracts enough of the customers, that it’s slightly less dreadful. And_ **_that_ ** _is why I so want to find this woman Erdene is throwing at me. The suspense is killing me!_

He knows once or twice there have been rumors circulating that he and Tora are a couple, and these whispers typically get reignited on the nights when they show up looking the way they do tonight, like a polished set of majestic show horses with machismo and class. 

_I would love for Candy to think we’re together, just to see how she would react, but then the fun would be over too soon. That’d be a one-and-done, and I need to be entertained for f*ck sake. That’s why I opened this club, to be amused, delighted—distracted from all the Outfit f*ckery shoved in my face by Father. And that unpleasant woman is not cutting the mustard, not anymore._

Quincey takes another sip of his cocktail, hoping to find Erdene and get her attention again, but it’s simply too busy.

_But this potential new girl, she must have an entertainment background of some kind—Singer? Actress? Dancer? One or more? Has to be a good combo for Erdene to tell me about her and actively pursue her, and not just to f*ck her either. I know Erdene has her own appetites, but this idea of ours has been buzzing her bonnet from the moment I first brought it up. She also knows enough not to waste my time with shitty no-talent bitches and whores either._

He—they—had long been trying to find a few new cabaret singers, preferably to replace Candy, but they have had no luck whatsoever so far. And that is only the beginning. Once he visited those underground clubs in Berlin, watching their shows? He knew right then and there he had to transform The Secret Garden. He knows the Outfit crews and most people living in Narin City need more stimulation, given Prohibition and the drudgery of city life.

_If we can find a star, put together an act, come up with a routine or two?_

Quincey shivers at all of it coming so close to fruition. 

_But first, we need to find out if she’s any good. And then I need to be sure we can get her on stage. And if she is more than good? Bye bye, Candy. You are gonna go back to being a mere cig girl, if you’re lucky that I keep you on. Then we can focus on the burlesque routines._

But what is making the night ever more entertaining, so much more stimulating, is how Tora is acting just a bit different, and it began the moment the gates opened. The two men have always been attuned to each other’s actions and behaviors, and have been for years. He's always been subject to Tora’s mode of scrutinizing the club clientele for threats every night, but Quincey can tell that tonight he’s watching the crowd differently, at least he's watching _someone_ in the club differently. It’s subtle, but he can tell. 

_His eyes have just been burning with lust so far tonight. Who is he—_

_Bam, and there she is, folks! That is a sight, mmm mmm mmm. Whew! So that is who has Tora so...distracted. And this has got to be who Erdene wanted me to see. Dene, you did not say that this woman is just what the doctor ordered, and I think she’s just what we need! This has_ **_got_ ** _to be my future burlesque girl._

Just moments before, Tora had gotten up from the table, mumbling something to him, and Quincey is watching as Tora slowly starts moving across the floor in front of the bar. Quincey sees that he stops suddenly, just as this woman, this...erotic pixie goddess just walks out through the office door, almost running right into him. He sees Tora almost lose the cigarette dangling out of his mouth, and he is now ogling the woman, wide-eyed and startled. She then quickly walks right around him back out onto the floor. He flat out laughs at Tora, acting so...so tamed. 

_Tora is transfixed by her, isn’t he. I simply cannot wait to tease him later about this._

Quincey continues to watch Poppy circulate amongst the tables across the room with great interest. He also watches Tora watching her, too, covertly, but he has been following her every move for the last few minutes. 

_I see you, watching her. What is going through your head, you nasty man, you._

This woman is simply refreshing after all the other tired flappers who've been working the club. The Secret Garden needs fresh flowers after all.

_Erdene, I am so jealous—you are never wrong, honey. This petite luscious peach of a woman, if she can get the Tiger so hot and bothered, then I know she is a sure thing._

Quincey doesn’t ever recall Tiger boy ever lusting after a female, after anyone, ever. Well, except a little bit of a crush on that sweet little thing they met years ago outside of the city, when they were just kids. 

_Strawberry girl, where are you now? And I’m right—he does need to get laid._

_And I can see why Erdene has hidden her in plain sight for me to find. Whether or not she can entertain, she is seriously a natural beauty—and quite desirable._

He watches the little woman for a few minutes more, witnessing that she is both precious and erotic at the same time in that skimpy maid costume, with tits that won’t quit. 

_She is practically glowing for goodness sake. Well, not goodness sake, really_ , Quincy thinks slyly.

He knows he has to find Erdene immediately, so she can get him the skinny about who she is, about her background and talents, but mostly so they can start discussing next steps, especially meeting her, interviewing her, and “auditioning” her, perhaps. He needs to talk with Erdene more about all his other plans, too, particularly the songs he’s been composing.

_Never thought those horrible piano lessons would ever pay off. One thing I can thankful for, thanks Father._

But tonight? Watching Tora practically drool over her? This is the best entertainment he’s witnessed at the club since watching two young men wrestle nude on stage two years ago. 

He’s yet again gratified about the partnership with Erdene. Between the two of them, they’ve cultivated this place into the best speakeasy in the region, if not the continent, with the right amount of kink and panache to feed their own needs, and entertain the masses. 

_She is always right on the money with her assertions. Now, let’s see what else this night will hold. What else might the Tiger do?_

Quincey gulps downs the rest of his cocktail, and signals Gyu that he needs a refill.

_Let the show begin!_

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy makes several rounds amongst the tables she targeted as the night began, not really getting much further. She's gotten a lot of attention, more than she anticipated, and boy did they keep her busy. Before long, she realizes she needs to replenish her stock of cigarettes. On her way back to the office, she decides to take the opportunity and introduce herself to Gyu, who she hasn’t had a chance to even meet yet. 

“Hello, I wanted to introduce myself. I’m Poppylan. Erdene told me your name is Gyu and that I will need to come to you to get drink refills tonight.”

Gyu hears an angelic voice speaking, so he looks up, and sees her, his eyes wide. 

_Whoa, she is cute...and really smoking **hot.** _

Then he smiles widely at her and replies. “Welcome to The Secret Garden, Poppylan.”

She laughs in reply. He’s skinny and a bit awkward, but generally seems like a real sweetie. Not at all like the other wretches who have been propositioning her from the moment she appeared on the floor.

“Well, nice to meet you, Gyu. I’ll be back at some point to get those refills. In the meantime, I need to restock my cigarettes. I will talk with you later.”

He watches as she walks away and back into Quincey’s office.

 _She is like a breath of fresh air around here._ Gyu has to shake his head to clear his thoughts and get back to work. While there has been a bit of lull in the past few minutes, he knows it’s still pretty early for a Friday, and he’s going to get slammed at any moment.

Poppy slips into the office, closing the door quietly behind her. No one else is in the room. She takes a moment to clean out her cash a bit, putting it in the lockbox inside Quincey’s desk drawer, just as Erdene showed her earlier. She doesn’t have anywhere to put her tips, so she has no other choice but to shove the money down the bodice of her skimpy dress, with the exception of the coins. She’ll leave them on her tray, for now. 

_I need to get some kind of satchel or small purse--something I can carry with me, if I’m going to rake in this much money. It’s a stack of bills, that’s for sure. And I’ve just started. If I can make this kind of money every night, I’ll be paying off that mortgage quicker than Flynn._

She takes the tray off her shoulders, and stretches a bit. The tray is a bit awkward for her to carry, but she’s committed to doing this job, at least for now. It’s actually a little bit erotic, having her breasts so out in the open. She’s been watching the lustful looks she’s been getting. Her fiancée--rather her _ex-fiancée--_ had always been so fascinated with her breasts and physique, much more so than her personality or charm. 

_Sleaze. Good riddance, Julri. Hope that blonde puts out for you. But strutting around in the skimpy outfit and wearing the tray like I have been, it is most definitely like performing, isn’t it. And it’s a bit liberating to be a bit exposed like this, even if this is something I’ve never done before._

Poppy has always sought exciting, erotic experiences, even if her ex has actually always been kind of a stick in the mud, vanilla man. And she never shared with him the racy booklets she discovered, not with anyone. They were left behind by someone, she doesn't have a clue who, in a hotel room she stayed in a year ago. She found (and kept) them during a trip with her cousins, far down the peninsula, to visit an arts festival and touring several state gardens. 

_Those little magazines, they are my dirty little secret. QB Noyouko has some talent, that’s for sure._

She takes a deep breath, psyching herself to go back out and make more rounds amongst the tables, preparing herself to listen to Candy's show. She’ll not only make more money, she’ll be meeting more people, creeps and all. Poppy is quite curious about what music will be part of the show, one that's got to be starting soon. She straps the tray back over her shoulders, walking over to the door. She is getting ready to open it and walk back out again.

 _Go time. You can keep doing this, Poppylan. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy._

She opens the door and walks through it to get back out on the floor. She doesn’t walk more than a dozen steps when she almost collides with a tall dark man standing right in her way. He’s quite glamorous, and seems vaguely familiar, but she can’t quite place him. 

“Excuse me,” she says quietly as she quickly walks around him, leaving the mysterious stranger in her wake, not noticing just how intensely he’s staring at her.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora stands stock still for another minute or two after she walks by him. He needs to get his lust in check, and it is taking everything in him not to follow his baser instincts, to turn around and follow her. 

Closing his eyes, he takes a few more quiet but deep breaths, and before he can stop himself, he does turn around and look for her for a few short minutes.

_For f*ck sakes. My pants are a tent--gotta get a grip._

Then before anyone can see, he turns back around and continues walking towards the water closet, as he planned to do all along. He enters with a bit more purpose, thankful for the bit of privacy. One, so he can ease his aching loins just a bit, and to strategize a bit, if at all possible, given his current state.

 _How the hell did she get from that train to_ **_here_?** _Not that I mind... But I gotta watch myself. I can’t continue to be so distracted, but now I_ **_have_ ** _to get to know her, somehow, for real. She's now practically right in front of me. There is no other way to find that bag, I gotta get close to her. Like that'll be a hardship. Pfft. Maybe Gyu knows something, he talked to her after all_. 

Tora takes care of business while he’s there, taking a huge piss, groaning a bit as he takes aim. His cock is most certainly not cooperating tonight, and believes he’ll need some kind of relief before the night is through. He only wishes it could be with _her_ , and not by his own hand, as usual. He knows he’ll be thinking of her again tonight, for sure. Just working that through his head is not helping ease his erection, at all.

 _Whew._ _Get ya shit together, man._

He tucks himself back into his trousers and buttons them up, then washes his hands and splashes a bit of water on his face, then adjusts himself in his pants just a bit more. He then walks back out to the bar to talk to Gyu, who is hopefully not too busy to chat with him for a minute or two.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Friday night fun continues at The Secret Garden. Candy sings and, well, the desperate need to get Poppy on stage becomes more apparent. Erdene manages to ask Poppy a few questions, and confirms Quincey has indeed spotted Poppy on the floor. Tora may have to bide his time in order to approach Poppy, knowing it’s likely going to be a point of no return, but can he stay away?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case I have not stated it already, a good deal of this fic is NSFW. For some reason there is no tag for this? What?!?  
> Enjoy. I didn't think I'd enjoy writing smut, but hell, it's damn fine fun!

After the quick discussion with Quincey, Erdene moves out onto the floor and has been lazily making her own circuitous way around, flitting back and forth without any rhyme or reason, greeting one or two people she knows, not putting much of any effort into how much she sold or who else should spoke to—she is just too distracted. 

She has to admit some of her old passion for Quincey has been reignited—she just wants to walk over, pull Quincey up by his lapels, drag him upstairs to the penthouse, and f*ck his brains out. But that would not happen, or at least not so early in the night, but she had hope. She’s going to go back and chat with him some more. He’ll see how turned on she is, and well, she hopes nature will take its course. 

Other than that, she has mostly been watching Poppy across the floor, interacting with club members, noticing with satisfaction how much the club clientele are into her, _seriously_ into her. 

_She is magnetic, a f*cking natural charmer, and she’s handling the heckling so well. Goddess, yes!_

She then observes Poppy walk over to the bar, and her brief interaction with Gyu— _even he is entranced by her._ She notices then that Poppy steps back into the office. She wants to run in right behind Poppy. But suddenly she sees and hears Gil and Candy standing by the doorway on the other side of the bar, arguing. She sighs, and walks over the two of them, to play peacekeeper, curious as to what they are fighting about. They are whispering loudly, and she hears Candy utter the words “new girl” and “you’re not gonna get any.”

 _For f*ck sake, woman. What the hell? Goddess forbid this f*cking prima donna not be happy._ Erdene is so close to firing them both. Quincey is going to hear about this for sure.

She manages to tell them quietly to take their argument elsewhere, and they slink off through the door behind them, likely to argue more inside the costume room, or perhaps f*ck. She wouldn’t put it past the two sleazy shits.

She turns back around, walking to the opposite corner. Then she, and Quincey, both witness Tora’s little show right after Poppy reappears back out the office door, and she laughs quietly behind her hands at his, ahem, obvious discomfort. 

_Gotcha,Tiger._

_He most definitely has the hots for you, Poppy, and he can barely keep his dick in his pants. If you would only look up, woman, you would_ **_see_ ** _how he is lusting after you, watching you like he could eat you up. This is delightful! I may just have to play matchmaker for those two, just to see what he does. What would happen if she rebuffs him? Would he pursue her even more? Would he become even more terse? Hmmm…._

Erdene smiles like the Cheshire Cat at these thoughts. _I am so evil. I f*cking love to mess with him._

She watches as Candy comes back out of the costume wing, heading to the stage. And she witnesses Tora shiver then turn and walk off towards the water closet.

She starts to walk over to where Poppy is, to pull her aside—see how’s she doing, ask her some more questions—when the house lights flicker. Candy’s act is about to begin.

_F*ck, that shrill dame’s show is about to start. I guess that’s okay—I want to know what Poppy thinks of Candy’s singing anyways. If she shares her candid opinion or gives me some suggestions for improvement, it’ll be a sign for us from the Goddess herself._

Suddenly, the house lights are completely turned off, and a spotlight shines onto Candy standing on the stage in front of a microphone, and everyone stops chattering, all eyes on her.

A pianist steps up quietly behind her, sitting down at the upright hidden stage right, and he starts playing a tune. It’s showtime... _unfortunately_.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 _She’s wearing the most awful dress_ , _if that is what it supposed to be,_ thinks Poppy, watching the show begin. She’d been waiting for this.

Candy is wearing a garish red slip dress barely covering her body, and a feathered bandeau in her hair. Poppy actually cringes upon hearing the intro to the first song. Poppy is astounded that she would be singing such a bland, unoriginal song. She’s not sure how much she should be circulating while Candy performs, but since her singing is so awful, Poppy needs to distract herself, so she silently gets back to work.

 _My Blue Heaven_? _Ick. Wish I could plug my ears._

She has no idea how _anyone_ would think Candy has talent. 

_Well, I guess the song is technically alright, but her voice is a bit weak, and she can’t stick to the correct octave. Is she alto or soprano, for jiminy sakes._

Candy finishes the song to quite modest applause. Then she starts into another sad sack, overheard showtune. 

_Ugh._

Poppy somehow manages to make eye contact with Erdene a few tables away. Erdene gestures to her to go back with her to the office. Poppy nods, and they both make their way over, moving through the door as quickly as they can.

After Erdene closes the door behind them, Poppy can’t keep quiet anymore. She has to express her annoyance.

‘‘Ack, too bad the walls aren’t soundproofed, Erdene.”

“Oh, what does that mean?”

“Um, well, how do I say this politely…”

Poppy takes a deep breath, considering her response.

“Well, I guess I can’t. Her singing is as nasty as she is, Erdene.”

Erdene can’t help but burst out laughing. Poppy continues with her honest opinion.

“The song choices are pedantic drivel, she can’t seem to stick to the correct octave, her timing is atrocious, and by the way, the pianist is mediocre at best. Believe me, I know. My guess would be she’s never had any professional instruction, heck even ANY instruction in her life. And, she just...has no talent.”

“Gee, Poppy, tell me how you really feel.”

“Oh my gosh, Erdene, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mea—“

Erdene holds her hand up to stop Poppy from continuing.

“Hey, it’s fine. I was making a joke.” 

“Thank goodness. I’m still sorry. I had such high hopes that she would be good. But, NOPE.”

“It’s fine. In fact, I wanted to know your opinion anyway. And, well, I wanted to ask you some more questions, too, Poppy. Is that OK?”

“Sure. Ask away.” Poppy really likes Erdene, and still feels very comfortable around her, so she has no qualms with any other queries Erdene might have.

“First off, how is it going, out on the floor? Everyone behaving? I thought I saw a few of the men giving you the business.”

“Ah, it’s fine. Nothing I couldn’t rebuff. And it’s okay, their opinion is their own. A few of them were real pigs, others were wondering where I’ve been all their lives.”

Erdene snorted at that. _So a couple of them tried to turn on their charm. Not a surprise whatsoever, Flower._

“Good. I’m glad, but has anyone has groped you yet? Be warned, if it hasn’t happened already, it’ll probably happen at some point if you’re not careful. These are...well, they are not typical men. At all.”

“Understood. I get the sense that these are not the men I’d meet in Moonbright, that’s for sure. And I’ll keep putting my feelers out for any creeps. I’ve had to deal with all kinds of bullies and rough men picking on me since I was a kid, mostly for being so little, so I can defend myself. And I’ll have you know, my dad taught me how to box.”

 _Really? Oh, Tora will_ **_love_ ** _that._

“Anyways, Pops, I wanted to ask you more about your background. You told me a lot yesterday, of course, but I wondered if you could tell me a bit more about the glee club at college, and the plays you were in. Were any of them musicals, by chance?”

Poppy doesn’t seem to notice how Erdene is focusing her questions on Poppy’s musical background, but since she is just so enamored of music and singing, she enthusiastically shares how she also sang during high school, in a local church choir periodically, and how much she enjoyed singing in holiday concerts. She didn’t mention whether or not any of the plays were musicals or not, but there is time for more discussion, of course. And Erdene wants Poppy to keep talking, but is certain that Candy’s performance is about over. 

_Here’s hoping that soon it will be_ **_finished._ **

However, she also knows they both need to get back out on the floor, and most likely to be subjected to more of Candy’s ear-piercing songs, even if only for a short spell.

“Fascinating, Pops. I want to know more. While we’re in here, let’s check our cig stock, dump any greenbacks, and go back out. But we’ll talk more, maybe at close? Or tomorrow sometime? Anyways, just for your information, Gil is the one who picks the songs. And Candy? She only gets to sing because she’s screwing Gil.”

“Ew.”

“Tell me about it. Seriously repulsive. But know that I need to talk to you more about another proposition, one I think you will like even more. And I have someone I want to introduce to you, hopefully before the night is over. Let’s go.”

Poppy is a bit curious at that comment. _Huh. What could that be about? And who does she want me to meet? I guess I’ll find out soon enough. Back to work!_

Erdene just decided she’s going to wait to tell Poppy more about herself, especially how she’s co-owner of the Garden. For the rest of the night, she wants to witness more of Poppy’s interactions with clientele and staff. Maybe she’ll get lucky, and she can witness Poppy come face-to-face with the Tiger. 

_Will Poppy even recognize him from the train? Hmmm… I would pay good money go see_ **_that_** _—for them to meet again. All in good time. It’s bound to happen. Tiger boy is on the prowl, after all._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After she and Poppy come back out, she decides she cannot wait any longer, so she wants to talk to Quincey again, giving f*ck all to Candy’s show, not even noticing if it’s over or not. He and Damien are sitting in the corner, and Tora seems to be somewhere else. 

_Spying on my little flower girl? Ya nasty._

As she reaches the table, she starts talking to Quincey in loud whispers.

“Psst. Hey, did you see her?”

“Oh honey, indeed I did.”

“Well?? Didn’t I tell you she’s something??” Erdene is even more excited than before.

“She definitely has my attention, Dene.”

“Just wait, just you wait. It’s gonna get better. I just had a chat with her about Candy’s show and her own background. I have to give you a report. And, Queen? I do think you and I need to go upstairs later, **_yes_**?”

“Oh?”

Quincey didn’t have a liaison planned yet that night, and well, he is still feeling quite stimulated. And with her using the old term of endearment yet again, he’s feeling just like he did during the old days, screwing around with Erdene. 

_And can that woman f*ck. Game. On._

He gives her a look, one she won’t mistake for anything else but affirmation.

“Well, Dene Bean, I think so, too.”

Erdene feels like she’s on fire, dripping wet and weak in the knees.

_YES! Quincey, you randy beast—gay or festive, you know how to get my rockets off, baby._

“Right then. See you later, Queen.” Erdene winks at him.

Quincey blows her a kiss. _Seems we are both raring to go._

Both of them using each other’s pet names has always been their code, their desperate need to _f*ck_. No strings attached, passionate rutting.

_Ah, memories. I am so looking forward to rekindling some with you, my Dene Bean. So, so much._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora finally emerges back out onto the club floor, quickly scanning the crowd. But he doesn’t see Poppy anywhere at first, wondering where she might have gone. He had been waiting in the hallway outside the water closet for quite awhile, particularly when Candy was singing, doing his best not to be anywhere in Candy’s line of sight.

_The less exposure to her, the better, if you ask me. I’ve been lucky so far tonight. I don’t want to push it. And her singing is f*cking painful to listen to._

As Candy finishes a song, he walks out of the hallway and up to Gyu at the bar.

“Give me a shot of bourbon.”

“Really, bro? OK.”

He quickly pours a shot glass, and Tora slams it down.

“More?”

“Nah.”

Tora only drank the little bit of liquid courage in an effort to calm himself down. He rarely imbibes, but tonight, he is desperately in need of something to ease his agitation and excitement.

“So, what do you know about the new girl?”

“New girl? Oh, you mean Poppylan?”

_Poppylan. Poppy. A woman, not a girl. A beautiful flower for the Garden. F*ck am I in trouble._

“What do you know about her?”

“Nothin’ other than her name. Didn’t even know who she was until she came up and talked to me. She introduced herself, seems like a real sweetie. Kind of not the cig girl type though.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I don’t know, probably the vibe I get. She seems more girl-next-door than flapper. She’s awful pretty though, especially up close, and her body? She is **hot** in that cig outfit.”

“Hmmm.” _Christ, she’s f*cking gorgeous, man, ya got eyes? And, ya, I f*cking noticed her body_ **_and_ ** _the costume, at least my cock sure did._

“Find out what you can about her will ya? Security reasons of course.”

“Got it, Big Bro. Anything else tonight? Any Outfit errands?”

“Not yet. I will have something for you soon, an assignment, but need to get a few more facts first. Something about a ledger. You hear anything through your networks, anything about a book with names and dates? From Ninedaggers?”

Tora doesn’t want to tell Gyu too much else, yet, but he has to ask first, just in the off chance he knows something. 

Gyu looks at him with a look of shock on his face, but manages to quickly recover. 

_F*ck, Goliath? Something of his? That_ **_f*cker._ **

He knows Tora is still pretty sensitive when it comes to his brother, so he has to be careful what he says out loud.

“No, not from my end of things, but you know me, I always have my ears open wherever I am.”

Gyu is younger, but he is a seasoned enough Outfit goon, so he listens in on any and all conversations nearby the bar at the Garden, and at all his other jobs, too. He works three or four at this point. His Outfit debt is considerable.

He’s old friends and confidant—“Secret Keeper”—to both Quincey and Tora, as they grew up and **came** up in the Outfit together. He has also been serving as their own personal gadget “operator,” procuring some of the most sophisticated weapons and tools for them, and them alone, tinkering with some of it a bit himself. Hell, if he weren’t in the Outfit, he could have been a new Edison. 

He also serves as Tora’s messenger at times, particularly when Tora needs to work outside the Outfit. It’s rare, but it does happen. After all, Gyu has a lot more civilian contact than either Quincey or Tora. But the three of them have a bond that transcends the Outfit f*ckery, and he owes Quincey and Tora more than he can probably ever repay. 

“Keep your ears to the ground about the ledger. Find out more about her. You know where to find me. And if you see Claude tonight, let me know. And tell him I’m looking for fights.”

Tora has one other real vice: illegal fights. These sporadically happen far under bridge abutments by the Narin River, in vast distant factories and warehouses, or hidden dilapidated tenement basements—it’s always random. They’re brutal, well-attended, and more often than not, they pit Outfit men against outside goons. No knives, brass knuckles, or martial arts. Men strip down to skivvies, even in the winter, and if a man is pushed outside the Box, the designated area, he loses. Otherwise they fight until one or the other concedes. Tora has never lost. Not once. 

Of course, there are large wagers made, and any appearance of the Tiger of Ares Street creates a frenzy. Tora knows that when the word gets out he’ll be fighting, attendance and payouts will be considerable. He doesn’t really need the money, but does it anyway. They are very successful regardless whether or not he appears, as no matter what part of the city they occur, there are cops on the Outfit payroll to look the other way. 

It’s an outlet for Tora that’s about as far away from Vincent as he is allowed to get. The fights are too savage for Vincent. But It’s allowed—just barely—because it allows Tora’s fighting skills to stay sharp. Vincent is pleased to know about Tora’s unbeatable records—that and the increase in the Balthuman coffers. 

Often, Tora visualizes Vincent’s face as he punches someone to a pulp. He’s got to get some of that rage out, somehow.

Just as he gets up off the barstool, readying himself to go back and sit with Quincey, the office door opens and out walks Erdene and Poppy, laughing at each other. For the second time that night, Tora freezes, as Erdene runs off to Quincey’s table, and Poppy walks rapidly back over to the same spot she was working before. 

Candy’s singing fades as Tora stares, transfixed again, until he realizes that Gyu is watching _him_. 

Gyu then breaks the spell he seems to be under. 

“Uh, Big Bro, you okay?” 

Tora then turns glaring at him, irritated that he’s been caught ogling her. 

“Find out more.”

_I have to talk to her before the night is over, but how? F*ck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh!!!  
> Researching music has not been easy. I didn’t mean to dump on “My Blue Heaven,” but some of the music of this time period is not my favorite. But don’t worry, I’ve selected a few that Poppy can sing that are nice.  
> And...Fight Club! Yes!  
> And a flower for the garden, you all got that right? hehehe.  
> Need to get more of sassy and kinky Poppy out there, but not yet. She’s still too shy.  
> More soon!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tora is finally introduced to Poppy, and Quincey and Erdene head off to rendezvous. Tora follows Poppy home after the Garden closes, seeking the bag, but finds something he didn’t expect. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “Sometimes since I've been in the garden I've looked up through the trees at the sky and I have had a strange feeling of being happy as if something was pushing and drawing in my chest and making me breathe fast. Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing. Everything is made out of magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us. In this garden - in all the places.”  
> \--Frances Hodgson Burnett - _The Secret Garden_  
> 

Gyu then watches Tora walk away, heading back to sit with Quincey.

What was _that_ look for?!

Blessedly, Candy’s set ends, and the slow murmur of conversations around the club begins to pick up again. Gyu knows things are gonna start picking up again on his end, so he checks his liquor stock and knows he’ll have to get clean glasses out of the back room. 

_This is why we need another bartender, for f*ck sake. I’ll have to ask Erdene for help._

Then he sees Claude is walking up to him. _One of the people I need to find._

“Yo, Claude.”

“Hey, how’s it goin’, Gyu?”  
  
“Good, good. Hey Big Bro's lookin’ for fights. Any going on this weekend?”

Claude grins at this news. He knows Big Bro is a bruiser and most successful fighter in town. 

_F*ck, yes--I’m_ ** _always_** _lookin’_ _to make more money._

“Ya, of course. He here?”  
  
“Ya, over there with Quincey, as usual.” Gyu nods his head in their general direction, trying very hard not to roll his eyes at Claude’s bullshit.

_You know he’s always here with Quincey. He’s his f*cking bodyguard, for cripes sake._

Claude groans, as he does not like Quincey, not in the least. 

_Friggin fairy. F*ck if I’m gonna go walk over there. Makes the Outfit look bad, if ya ask me._

“Gotta go. I’ll get that info to ya when I can.”

Claude then walks back the way he came. Gyu couldn’t help but hear him groan, and had watched him glancing over at Quincey.

 _F*cking tool. If Tora_ **_ever_ ** _catches him saying anything about Quincey, he’ll be sorry._

Claude is another one whose success rate in the fights is unparalleled, with Tora being the only other one with a better record. Claude is simply not as muscular nor as tall. He’s much more successful with the smaller goons. Tora? He gets the massive fatty ones. Those guys are always tricky, as there’s always a layer of muscle underneath the girth.

Gyu then sees Erdene, and nods to her, indicating he needs her help. 

_Just another Friday at the f*cking Garden._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Gyu manages to get Erdene’s attention swiftly. It’s quite a regular routine. It gets so busy on Fridays, they have to replenish the liquor and glasses at regular intervals. Tonight is no exception. Erdene prances right over with a little pep in her step. 

“Hey, Gyu. Is it that time again, my friend?”

Gyu laughs, as they are in concert as ever.

“Yep. We need gin, bourbon, and cognac. And I’m about out of glassware, too.”

“Your wish is my command, my liege.” She then curtsies. _She is just a f*cking delight tonight._

‘Yeah, yeah, Dene. Off you go.”

Erdene is in a fine, fantastic mood. He knows she was talking with Quincey earlier, both of them leering at each other.

_Sigh, at least someone around here gets laid._

She walks off down the hallway toward the back room. It will take her a few trips, but she never complains, ever. Some days if he’s desperate to get out from behind the bar for a piss or whatever, she takes over the bar herself. She is a free spirited one, that’s for sure.

Before long, she’s brought many boxes out to him, and has helped him put things away and even hauls some of the dirty glasses away. 

_God bless that woman._

He wipes the bar off as she walks away, with a wink. Now that she’s gone, he looks over at Tora across the floor, and gestures to him. Tora knows the signal, of course. For once Gyu’s lucky he can get answers to something so quickly. More often than not, that is just not the case.

Gyu watches as Tora whispers into Quincey’s ear, then gestures for Damien to take his place again by Quincey’s side as he makes his way back to the bar. Tora always takes Quincey’s security seriously.

_No rest for the wicked._

Tora comes right on over and sits down, a cigarette in his hand.

“News?”

“Ya, just spoke to Claude. Definitely fights this weekend. He--”

At just that moment, Poppy walks up, cheerfully greeting Gyu, stopping right next to Tora.

“Hey, Gyu. Need refills. I need the usual, I guess?”

“You got it Poppylan,” Gyu replies with a huge grin.

She smiles back widely at Gyu. But then she stills suddenly. She is standing right next to Tora, mere inches away, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. 

_F*ck_. _She is so close to me… And she smells divine._

Tora is desperately trying not to move, knowing she is right there, trying not to touch her, like he’s really wanted to for the past two days.

“Oh, Poppylan, have you been introduced? This is my friend, Tora.”

 _Gyu, you are worth a mint._ He’s watching her out of the corner of his eye.

“Hi…” she says in a breathy yet sweet voice, the one he heard just two days before. She turns her head to look at him, her face tilted to the side with bright shining brown eyes and the most intoxicating little smile. 

_She is just exquisite._

He slowly turns around to face, looking at her with his fiery amber eyes. Then, he can’t help himself, she looks at, up then down, head to toes. 

_She is even more breathtaking up close._

“Charmed,” he says to her in a deep husky voice, holding out his hand.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

_Hol-y shi-ta-ke mushrooms!_

Poppy’s face flushes a bright pink at his gaze, but places her hand in his big warm one, shaking it slowly. She first felt bashful, but then she noticed his stunning eyes. She began to peer right back at this good-looking man with her own caramel brown eyes wide. As their hands touched, she felt as if she'd been zapped by a bolt of lightning. 

_Whoa, did he feel that too?_ She thought she saw his eyes widen slightly.

She’s been glimpsing this man all night, but holy fudge, she should have been paying much closer attention. Much closer.

_He has the most striking beautiful eyes, and he is sooo BIG. OK maybe he’s just a wee bit...scary? But… Oh my goodness--I know where I’ve seen him before._

Poppy can't help but gasp a little. He **_is_ **familiar—the man is a living sex god to her, just as gorgeous and attractive as he’s been drawn and depicted in those naughty booklets she has hidden away back in her boarding house room. She’s certain it’s him.

How many times has she fantasized about him? _Beyond measure_ , she thinks with sarcasm. Her loins actually clench a bit with desire. Tora. _Tiger_. Mercy. But who is he, really? How much of those booklets are based in reality? 

_Damn, do I want to find out. He is a tasty-looking dish._

“Can I have my hand back, sweetheart?”

She is a bit startled, not realizing she was having a bit of an out of body experience.

“Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry,” she says, letting go quickly. 

Tora smiles a bit, slowly taking his hand back, but he keeps right on staring into her eyes. 

_Oh good gravy, he is beyond handsome. Deep breaths, Poppylan._

“Right. Pleasure to meet you, of course. As Gyu mentioned, I’m Poppylan. Gyu, do you have my refills? I gotta get back to it.”

Gyu does indeed, and she quickly places the full glasses onto her tray. If she doesn’t move away from that man, she is going to combust. 

“I’m sure I’ll see you again, Tora. Goodnight.” She then walks back to the waiting customers on the floor.

_There is no way he could ever be interested in me, a plain mousy girl from the country._

Little does she know how wrong she is, as Tora quietly replies, “You most certainly will.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The night is finally winding down, and most people are leaving. Gyu shouts loudly, “Last call.”

There are maybe 10 people left, a bit drunk and boisterous. Tora communicates to his men to get them out of there, pronto.

Erdene has been waiting for people to filter out, as she really wanted to introduce Poppy to Quincey, but before she can, Quincey walks up to her, whispering in her ear. He doesn’t want to wait another minute. He’ll meet Poppy some other time. 

Erdene skips over to Poppy, to tell her that there’s been a change in plans.

“Pops, bit a change. Quincey...he...needs me, so I gotta go. I hope you understand. One of the men will walk you back to your room, okay? You have your key with you, yes? Anyways, I will come by at noon to pick you up, and we can have lunch. Sound good?”

“That’s fine, Erdene. Enjoy the rest of your night.” She's a little put off that Erdene would leave her, but Poppy is too exhausted to care otherwise.

Erdene grins, and walks back over to Quincey, who grabs Erdene’s hand and kisses it. Then together they walk rapidly down the far hallway, to an elevator hidden by the back door, making their way to the penthouse upstairs.

Quincey already chatted with Damien who will escort Poppy to her room. Damien walks up and introduces himself to Poppy.

“Miss Poppylan. My name is Damien, and I will be escorting you. Do you need a car?”

Damien is a bit of a solemn, intimidating figure. He is quite young, and has garish tattoos on his neck, starting at the line of his chin continuing down into his starched collar. 

“Hello, Damien. No car will be necessary. My boarding house is only five blocks away. Just give me a moment to remove my costume.”

“Of course, Miss Poppylan. I will wait for you here.” 

Poppy first heads to the office, to empty her coffers into the lockbox for the final time that night. Then she ducks back into the other hallway towards the costume room, grateful the night is over.

No one else seems to be around, and after finding her clothes and shoes where she left them earlier, Poppy steps behind a modesty screen propped up in the corner, since she is wary of anyone barging in, after all. She quickly removes the costume, placing the dress on a hanger, and puts the rest in a hamper in the corner. Despite it’s skimpiness, the dress is actually quite comfortable. 

Fully dressed again, she shoves the large stack of bills she received for tips into her coat pocket. She checks to be sure her room key is in her other coat pocket, then walks back out to the main floor, meeting Damien where she left him, at the bottom of the stairs. Saying goodnight to Jacob and Gyu who are putting chairs on tables, Damien graciously allows her to exit ahead of him. 

_Will it be like this every night? Gosh, I hope not, and maybe I’m not cut out for this. But I’ll think about it more after I count my tips._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora had to escort several belligerent men up and out of the club, taking his time, he stayed outside to have a cigarette.

Thinking of Poppy again, he realizes he still knows nothing more about her than her name. But since she’s shown up at the club, and Gyu can ask about her, he is less concerned than he was before. 

Claude walks up to him, then, telling him there are fights happening tomorrow night in a barn half hour by car outside the city, midnight sharp, at mile marker 52 of route 98. Tora is not sure Gyu will agree to be his second. All Tora needs to do is nod his head, and Claude understands he’ll be there.

Finishing his cigarette, he takes a deep breath, getting ready to go home to his dreary no-frills room over the gym, to be alone. He knows Quincey and Erdene will be no good as company anyways. 

_I’ll be damned if I’m gonna stick around and listen to them f*ck like rabbits until the sun comes up. I know what those two can be like._

Tora thinks how pathetic his own release will be tonight. That’s until he notices Damien and Poppy walking down the street about a block away. He lights another cigarette and begins to follow them. He realizes he can find out where her boarding house is located, for future reference. 

Four blocks later, she says something to Damien, perhaps goodnight, and she turns to enter a shabby corner building. Damien watches her enter, making sure the door closes behind her. Then Damien keeps walking, likely on his own way home.

_Good man. Trained ya well._

Tora looks at the building facade, and sighs. 

_What a dump. Gotta get you outta here, sweetheart… But how..._

He can’t believe how easy it is to convince himself to do a little reconnaissance while he’s there--but what else does he have to do.

Standing by a lamppost, he scans the upper floors, waiting for a light to come on, to see where her room is located. He knows he’ll have to come back and do a thorough search of her room at some point.

Before long, in a room on the first floor, right across the street from where he’s standing, a light flickers on, and there she is. He can tell it’s her, because the curtains are not completely drawn all the way shut.

_Shit, does she not know you can’t do that in the city? This ain’t the country, sweetheart._

But he can see it’s her, taking her coat off, wearing a beautiful but plain yellow dress, walking around slowly. He cannot look away. He keeps watching, completely captivated by her. She turns a radio on, and he can hear soft music. She starts to hum then sings along, swinging her hips to the melody. He can’t quite hear what the song is, not that it matters. He’s trying to tell whether or she’s going to pull out that bag...right?

Instead, she stops and stands in front of the window, staring out into the street. If she were more alert, she'd see him standing there, not 20 feet away, staring right up at her. His heart begins pounding, and in a flash, she pulls her dress off over her head. His dick takes even greater notice at _that_. 

_F*ck me, what is this woman doing?_

He has a prime spot to keep right on watching. He’s not going anywhere. The street is virtually empty, so he starts to stroke himself over his pants. Stretching her arms toward the ceiling and yawning, he now sees the simple cotton chemise she’d been wearing under the dress, and it’s pretty f*cking see-through. How could such a plain and simple undergarment be so incredibly sexy? 

She then pulls her hair pins out, and her tresses fall down past her waist, and she shakes them loose. She turns around, back to the window, then pulls off the plain cotton slip. Tora can see her hourglass waist, bare back and shoulders behind the sheath of all that hair. 

How he would love to wraps his fists in all that hair, to hold her still while f*cking her hard from behind.

Now openly panting, he didn’t think his dick could get so hard. 

She pulls on a flowered satin robe without turning around. He’s actually a bit disappointed at that. What he would have given to see her tits unleashed. Grabbing her brush, she continues to sing while she brushes her hair before bed. After a few more minutes, she puts the brush down, and she turns the light out.

And he thought he needed a release before?

_F*ck, I'm gonna explode._

He considered having one of his guys watch over her, and report anything back to him. But after what he's just witnessed?

 _F*ck no. No way am I gonna let any other guy see **that**. I am going to take care of this duty **personally**._

Too bad he doesn’t realize that the bag is not there--it's tucked away in the back of a dusty wardrobe at Erdene's mansion, practically forgotten now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ZAP goes the chemistry, from both sides, but he’s so unexpressive, he kind of scares her off.. But little does she know the fire 🔥 she has stoked! Will she still recognize him from the train? I don’t think so. She has no idea! She’s recognized him for otherwise, ahem, much more racy reasons. But let the Poppy positivity party commence! Must purge the Julri Jinx. There is much hope for some Torrid Tora time — 🐯


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of a long Friday night for all those involved. Poppy has to decide if she'll continue at the Garden. Tora seeks some relief from his personal tensions. After a long night of innuendo, Erdene and Quincey steal away to the Penthouse. Erdene fills in Quincey about Poppy, Candy, Gil, and more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “La vie est une fleur dont l’amour est le miel.”  
> (“Life is a flower of which love is the honey.”)  
> – Victor Hugo

After bidding Damien good night, Poppy enters the dilapidated boarding house, and makes her way up to her room. 

_Whew! What a long night! I am seriously tired._

Shoving her heels off her aching feet, she turns on her light and locks her door. She takes her coat off, hanging it on the coat hook, but she forgets all about the greenbacks in its pocket.

She walks around the room a little bit, thinking about her first night, and whether or not she can continue working at the Garden. Remembering all the men she waited on--some good, some bad--she decides maybe she can stick with it for a while. 

_I’m going to count my tips first,_ **_then_ ** _I will make a choice._

The clientele seem a bit rough around the edges, but the staff? Some of the cigarette girls are not so great, but the rest of them, they are really nice. And is _he_ staff? That dark handsome one? The dark handsome _glamorous sexy one?_

 _Oh yes, him._ **_Him._ **

She blushes remembering his beautiful golden eyes, staring at her, not through her like just about every other man at the Garden she encountered. If she weren’t so tired, she’d get those booklets out right then and there to confirm her suspicions of who he is, but she’s exhausted. 

_I need to re-read them. Just to be sure. I could be imaging things. Who would have thought I’d ever meet that, that God,_ **_the_ ** _God._

 _Oh my goodness--I just realized that the booklets’ are a series, and the title is the same as the club--_ ** _The Secret Garden_.** _Oh, that cannot be a coincidence, Poppylan. And is someone at the club QB Noyouko?!? Oh, that would be a sign from the goddess herself!_

She walks to the desk at her front window, and turns the radio on low. It’s playing a song by Ira and George Gershwin, “[Oh Lady Be Good](https://genius.com/George-gershwin-oh-lady-be-good-lyrics),” a personal favorite. She starts humming a bit and dances along slowly. But she stops, standing right in front of the window, not even paying enough attention to notice that the curtain isn’t closed all the way. 

It cannot be a coincidence-- _at ALL_. She wonders if the man she met tonight, Tora--oh, even the _name_ is exciting--she wonders if he has the same tattoos as the man illustrated on those pages. And, um, well if there other parts that might be the same, too. 

Excited at that very thought, she pulls her dress right off her back in a flash, stretching her arms over her head, yawning.

_Oh, carrying that tray all night has my muscles in knots. And I have got to get to bed._

Still standing in front of the window, she looks out at the building across the street, all windows dark, and starts pulling her hair pins out until all her hair is loose. She shakes her long locks a bit to loosen them up. She doesn’t even have the energy to wash up tonight, not really.

Still thinking of him, she turns around, takes her slip off, and pulls on her flowered robe. Grabbing her brush, she starts to sing the lyrics of the song out loud while brushing the snarls out of her hair. Ironically, this is a [ song ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21P0FX1vGmU) about being all alone in a big city:

> “Oh, please have some pity
> 
> I'm all alone in this big city
> 
> I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood
> 
> So lady be good to me...”

As the song ends, she turns the radio off, puts her brush back on her dresser, and turns off the light. Removing her robe, she gets into bed naked. She breathes deeply, and thinks of those booklets, how she enjoyed wearing the costume, the come-ons from men she received all night, and then, of course, him again.

She caresses herself, excited. She quickly picks up the pace when she starts focusing solely on _him,_ vigorously bringing herself to a climax, gasping at its intensity. She quickly falls asleep shortly afterwards, not realizing that she hasn't thought of her ex-fiancée all day. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As soon as Poppy’s light goes out, Tora makes his way home to the gym. No need to go back to the Penthouse, as he knows Quincey will lock the door behind him, and may even have a “Do Not Disturb” sign hanging on the knob. He has to admit there is a small part of him that is just a bit envious.

_F*cking randy ass bastard._

He quickly doffs his suit, leaving on his undergarments, and hits the bag for as long as he can stand it. 

_Thank_ **_f*ck_ ** _there are some fights tomorrow, or I’d go insane._

But he doesn’t do it for long. He keeps thinking of her, and what he just witnessed. 

_What divine being let_ **_that_ ** _happen? Well, actually_ **_she’s_ ** _the divine one. I just got to come along for the ride._

Now there’s more than one type of relief he needs. But he also can’t forget about that ledger either.

_Still don’t know how the f*ck am I gonna find it._

He’s thankful he’s found her so quickly, and that she was formally introduced to him, too. That will make it easier to talk to her again, ask questions, see her face. And watching her wear that costume all night? _That_ is just a bonus. 

He’s getting even more aroused than he thought possible, just thinking about all of it, especially the idea of talking to her again, getting to know her better.

_F*ck -- I haven’t been this excited since I was kid._

Finishing his late night workout, he walks into the locker room to take a shower. Stepping under the warm water, he thinks of that long brown hair again, those glimpses of her bare back, waist, shoulders, and _her_ , just...all of her. Grabbing his cock, he takes care of business himself under the spray, and he doesn’t last long. The orgasm is even more intense than the night before. He can only imagine how good it would be, could be if she were right there with him. Breathing heavily, he stands under the spray for some time, until it starts to turn cold.

Returning to his upstairs room, he gets into bed wearing his boxers, his long black hair spilling all over his pillow. He falls asleep thinking of that little smile she gave him, those wide brown enchanting eyes, and when he can see her again.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Quincey and Erdene watch the elevator doors close, and he hits the P button to travel up to the Penthouse apartment. They are both excited and breathing heavily. When the doors open in front of the Penthouse doors, Quincey quickly grabs her hand and drags her behind him. He does not want to waste a moment.

They move quickly, and before the front doors even click shut, Quincey gives Erdene a huge hot wet kiss. 

Panting, he fondles her hair longingly.

“Oh f*ck Dene Bean, I have been waiting hours to do that. F*ck!”

Erdene grins right back at him.

“Oh, moi aussi, monsieur.” (“Oh, me too, sir”). She is teasing him, speaking in French. 

_It’s always been such a turn on for him_ , remembers Dene.

All that does is make him kiss her again with even more passion. 

Stopping him so she can catch her breath, Dene starts to talk, or least she _wants_ to talk.

“Queen, I have so much to tell you. Popp--”

But before she can continue, Quincey puts his hand over her mouth.

“Shush. Less talking, more f*cking, Dene Bean.”

They walk quickly into the living room, and he sits down on the closest divan while she stands in front of him. He pulls her closer to him, looking at her up and down. She is of course still wearing the skimpy French maid’s garb from the night’s shift. He likes what he sees, I mean he _really_ likes it. 

While he has mostly been dating men for the last couple years, he sometimes has dalliances with women. And he has had a long time relationship with her, platonic for long periods of time, but it’s also one that still sparks a lot of passion in him. Erdene is more than special, she’s one of his dearest friends, and she’s practically his soul mate. 

“Oh, ma reine, tu es très content de me voir” (“Oh, my Queen, you are very happy to see me!”), she says while stroking his erection.

“Oui, ma cheri, très content.” (“Yes, my dear, very happy.”)

“Ah, ma reine, laisse moi continuer à te rendre heureux” (“Oh, my Queen, let me keep making you happy”), says Erdene, getting on her knees, slowly unbuttoning his fly. She then pulls his cock out of his pants, and strokes him once or twice. First licking the precum and his slit at his tip, she then plunges him into her warm wet mouth.

“Mmmmmm…”

_Oh my Queen, your beautiful massive cock has always made me drool._

_This woman is f*cking goddess. It’s been too long, ma cheri,_ thinks Quincey, hissing with intense pleasure.

She is stroking him up and down, periodically caressing his balls. She moans while moving her mouth all over as much of his cock as she can. Before long, he pulls her off him, both of them still a little out of breath.

_Oh you are a talk drink, my Queen, and I am so thirsty._

“Ma cheri, prenons ça dans la chambre, oui?” (“My dear, let’s take this into the bedroom, yes?”)

“Bien sûr, ma reine, bien sûr.” (“Of course, my Queen, of course!”)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

By the time the sun starts to rise, they are lying in each other’s arms in his bed, taking a breather.

He rubs her up and down, from her collar bones to her breasts, from her hips to her mound. She has one hand resting on his bare chest, periodically stroking him the same way, stopping to make slow circles around his nipples. Basking after their long, passionate rutting, they still feel aroused and can’t take their hands off each other.

“So, are you ready to talk now, Quincey?”

She avoids the term of endearment, as she wants his full attention.

“Sure. Tell me more.”

“Let me give you a report on Poppy first.”

Quincey smiles, waiting to see if she sees what he sees in her, especially what he witnessed last night.

“First, she’s a little doll, isn’t she.”

“Oh yes, and a quite f*ckable one, too, Erdene.”

“And she did extremely well on the floor. Several men tried to grab her ass, and she deftly dodged them. I know several of them were propositioning her and saying quite graphic things about what they want to do to her, _with_ her. She told me, and I quote, ‘I’ve had to deal with all kinds of bullies picking on me since I was a kid, so I can defend myself.’ She also mentioned that her father taught her how to box. And she knows very well these men are not small-town, ordinary ones, either.”

“Well, Miss Poppylan is just the cat’s pajamas!”

Erdene smiles, and then continues. 

“And she gave me her full appraisal of Candy, and she,” Erdene laughs, “...she did not hold back.”

Erdene has to chuckle, as it isn’t exacting an appraisal either. _Pfft. More like a condemnation._

“Poppy believes the songs are ’pedantic drivel,’ that Candy can’t really sing, and, by the way, she mentioned the pianist is ‘mediocre at best.’ She knows, as she herself has experience, that Candy likely has had no professional musical instruction.”

_No surprises there, Erdene._

“Poppy loves music and singing. She was in choir during high school, sang at a local church, and particularly loves singing in concerts. But we didn’t have time to chat about much of anything else. She mentioned acting in plays, but don’t know if any of them are musicals.”

“I think you and I both can agree with Poppy’s assessment, yes?”

“Yes, obviously, and to be honest, Quincey, I think we need to get rid of Candy. And maybe Gil, too. He’s just as bad as she is. You know she only sings because Gil’s screwing her, right? I mean she’s dreadful. Poppy herself called Candy _nasty_.”

“Yeah, I know, and well, she _is_ nasty. But she’s so entertaining in other ways. I mean, watching her hit on the Tiger is sometimes the only highlight of my nights.” 

“Oh, for f*ck sake, Queen, she’s _horrible_. How many times does the man have to tell her to f*ck off?”

“True. He’d probably be grateful to be rid of her, but let’s hold off, for now. Maybe keep her on, and let Poppy try a song or two?”

“We can try, but just so you know, Candy was not happy tonight. I overheard her talking to Gil, arguing before her show tonight, and I think it’s because he hired Poppy, at my insistence of course. I don't know what will happen if Poppy sings, too.”

“I’ll deal with Candy if I have to. I don’t need any flapper f*cking around with my club, Dene. Maybe we give Poppy a little more time as a cig girl, let Candy get used to having her around. Then, let’s decide whether or not we should have Poppy audition. I love you to pieces, ma cheri, but I don’t want to bring her on stage, sight-unseen, or rather unheard, based on your instinct alone. Find out about the musicals, too. While she likes to sing, it would be a bonus to know she’s performed in shows before, you know, performed in public.”

Erdene smiles, and nods agreement. 

“While I had hoped you’d get rid of Candy and Gil, I guess I can tolerate them both a little longer. And just a few more things. Sorry to dump all of this one you at once, but we haven’t talked in awhile.”

_True, Erdene. I’ve been distracted._

“First, I think we need to hire a second bartender or busboy or SOMETHING to help Gyu on the weekends. I’m certain he’s been meaning to talk to you about it. The poor man works, like, four jobs to, you know….pay his _debts_. Anyways, the man is run ragged, particularly on weekends, and he often has to have me either run off to the back room to get more hootch or glasses, or even sit and tend the bar while he pisses. None of the _other_ cig girls will do any of that for him. So will you consider that, too?”

Quincey is well aware of how much Outfit debt Gyu has. He only wishes he could do more for him.

“Sure. I don’t have a problem with any of that. We have more than enough money to hire someone to work on the weekends. Can you take charge and talk to Gil?”

“You got it, my Queen.” Erdene is feeling frisky again, so she’s starting up with the pet names again. 

“And I have to tell you something else about Poppy. A Tora-related tidbit.”

“Oh? Well, you have even more of my attention now, Erdene. What gives?”

“He’s met Poppylan before.”

“What? I thought—“

“And you know where he met her? On the train, the same day I met her, traveling to the city via Moonbright. I don’t know why, but when the train stopped in Moonbright, he got on right behind her, walked right up to her, talked to her, started calling her ‘Patty,’ or some such nonsense. But he could not take his eyes off her, Quince. He had this look in eyes I’ve never seen before. And he never even saw me, and I was sitting right in front of him.”

_Huh. Can the Tiger change his stripes, when it comes to women, to **her** I wonder? And no idea why he’d be in Moonbright though. _

“And when he saw her in the Garden? Well, let’s just say, his attraction became _very_ apparent.”

“Oh, I saw that, too. So that’s why--he’s met her before. Now I know I’m going to have to give him shit. You know I love to f*ck with him regarding some things, like women, he just gets so flustered. What you say we play with him a little, maybe it’ll push him to live a little. You know how he stays far away from women, and sometimes I get it, but the man has needs, just like you and me.”

Quincey tweaks and squeezes her left breast as he says this.

“He gets so offended by women’s machinations. Grabbing him, lusting after him. And some of the men hit on him, too, especially when he’s there on Saturday nights. But of course, I don’t blame him. They just want to use him. And the man is delicious, too bad he’s my brother. But, you know, if he does have the hots for her, maybe we can play matchmaker, Dene Bean.”

Erdene smiled. _He’s still horny, too. F*ck yes, my Queen._

“Quince, you know I love to f*ck with him even more than you do. I want to see how things play out. Did you catch it when Gyu introduced them, face-to-face? That interaction sitting at the bar? The man is in full-on lust mode, and, well, her reaction was not what I expected. Demure, yet...flirty? I think there is more to this woman than just a goody-two-shoes veneer.”

“Oui, mon coeur...maintenant allons-nous?” (“Yes, my heart… Now shall we?”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note I used Google translate for the French, so if it's incorrect, my profuse apologies.
> 
> And the music? OH! The songs I found for Poppy? 
> 
> Mwah, and they are just perfect, with a lot of have meaning. Just. You. Wait. It's been a little work trying to be authentic (no songs written after 1927), but the efforts have been worth it!  
> But if you do anything after reading, if you haven't already done so, listen to the Ella Fitzgerald version of the song, Lady Be Good, linked above: <https://youtu.be/21P0FX1vGmU>. I think it's just lovely, like Poppy. This will be one of the first songs she'll sing.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy decides to keep working at the club. Tora attends the fights. Two weeks later, Poppy manages to cope after dealing with an aggressive customer by letting her hair down and singing. She finally meets Quincey, who provides her with an opportunity she has to consider.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > "I take pleasure in my transformations. I look quiet and consistent, but few know how many women there are in me.”  
> —Anaïs Nin

Poppy counts the tips from her first night, and is astounded to discover she made almost $50. Despite the hard work and this windfall, she is going to tell Erdene that it’s perfectly fine for her to continue staying in the boarding house, as it allows her to save more money that way.

As promised, Erdene shows up, knocking on her door to take her to lunch, and while they eat, they do discuss Poppy moving in with her again, but Poppy is still resistant to the idea. Erdene is determined to keep asking, and hasn’t given up yet. 

_She’s only just met me, so I’ll give it a little more time._

Erdene decides she is going to talk to Quincey as soon as she can, to strategize how to get her out of that horrible place, as it's not as safe as Poppy believes it to be. 

Erdene asks Poppy about the plays she participated in, and confirms that yes, she was in a few musicals, and talks for some time about which ones, the songs she sang, and the dance routines that were the most difficult to learn. 

Erdene also brings up how they need to have a shopping excursion or two, now that Poppy has some money in her pocket. Poppy reluctantly agrees. Some of her undergarments and stand-by garments are getting far too worn out. They make plans to go shopping on Monday.

They part ways, as Erdene has errands to run, and Poppy wants to rest and prepare for the night.

As it is Saturday, the club will be featuring it’s weekly queer cabaret. Erdene and Poppy will still work as cig girls, but Erdene explains that there will also be cig _boys_ , and a drag queen will sing. Damien will stop by at 7 to escort Poppy to the club doors.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora and Damien pull up outside the barn well before the fights start at midnight. Parking his BMW in a field 50 yards away, he opens his trunk, and starts preparing himself. Throwing his fedora in first, he then takes off his coat, button-down, and undershirt, keeping his suspenders attached, but draped off his waist. He loosens his top knot, and reties it, making it as tight as possible. He doesn’t want anyone pulling his hair, and it has happened before, so lesson learned.

 _It’s too bad I couldn’t bring Gyu tonight. He's a good second. Don’t know about this clown. That and I could have talked to him about the assignment. And ask about_ **_her._ **

He sets to wrapping his wrists. He has no idea how many opponents he’ll have tonight, so he needs to do whatever he can to support his hands. But he needs to know he can rely on the kid, so he has to ask.

“So, you ever attend the fights?”

“Uh, yeah, once.”

“So you know the rules?”

“Yup. Absolutely.”

_Okay, so that’s one in his corner. He’s not completely useless._

“Good. I’m counting on you.”

Tora begins to stretch his shoulders and arms, does several squats, and rolls his neck a bit. 

_Gotta loosen up. I’ve been so f*cking tense this week._

He is doing his best not to recall the _source_ of most of his tension. There is, of course, part of him who wishes he could have stayed home, worked with Quincey at the club. But he needs to do this, get some of that energy out. He hasn’t fought in months.

 _Might as well make it worth something. I hate whacking goons, the beatings, hurting people without real reason. I hate the_ **_death_** **.**

The fights, though? They are all about sport and competition. There are rules, expectations, and limits. There is no _death_ , at least there’s not supposed to be. 

It’s not like he minded Saturdays at the club, either. He and Quincey grew up together, and he has been at Quincey’s side at the club and any number of other such places all over the world, so he is well aware of Quincey’s proclivities. And he will fiercely protect his crazy-ass fairy brother with his life. He doesn’t know why so many people are so against such things. They really don’t hurt _anyone_ , and never have to his knowledge. Really the only difference there is on Saturdays at the club is more men proposition him than women. And he handles _that_ the same way, too: “Not interested.”

He’s looking to keep his record unbroken tonight, leave things as normal as possible. It serves to maintain the aura of danger around him, protecting him—that “Tiger of Ares Street” persona that keeps the f*cking Outfit maniacs away. And Vincent allows him to do it. The more he demonstrates how brutal and vicious he is to Vincent, to everyone, the better. Even though deep down, that persona is just a facade, a ruse. But the way his life has turned out and how he’s been this way for so long, he’s essentially lost track of himself. He wonders if he’ll ever make his way back. 

More and more cars and trucks are pulling up around them, so he removes his trousers, suspenders and all, leaving his shoes on, handing Damien a towel. It’s just about midnight, and they need to check in. He hopes the fights will be over quickly. He wants to get back for his nightly routine, to watch over _her,_ if at all possible.

_Showtime._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Unfortunately, Tora’s continued surveillance of Poppy has become a bust. He still follows her home each night, watching Damien escort her to her door, but she has been closing the curtains every night upon arriving home. 

_What a f*cking fluke that night was. What I wouldn’t give to have it happen again though._

He can just see her shadow as she walks around the room, and uses his vivid imagination as to what she might be doing. Just the thought of _that_ gives him a huge erection. Her light turns off, and for another night, he makes his way home, crawling into bed with her face on his mind as he strokes his throbbing cock to completion.

Despite the lack of exhibitionism, the man remains persistent. He watches her every night, with few exceptions, just in case it might happen again, of course, but mostly to make sure she’s safe. Never has he been so desperate to see even a sliver of open curtain, but no dice.

He still needs to find out where she goes and what she does during the day, though, so he can get into her room and search it for the ledger. He’s not sure how he can find out her daytime routine, but hopefully Gyu will have more success. But even he hasn’t had any luck so far, much to Tora’s frustration. And as much as he wants to interact with her, he doesn’t, and he keeps his distance. For now. But he’s going to have to do something, soon. Vincent will want a progress report before long.

What _she_ doesn’t know or see is how often he looks at her while she works—that and how much he wants her, longing to get closer. But due to the task at hand, and his other Outfit obligations, he has decided to stay away from her.

And she still has yet to pull out her secret stash of Secret Garden magazines, but still thinks of _him_ a lot, especially at night in bed when the lights are off. Those thoughts keep her warm, for sure, and as a result, she has intense orgasms every night.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy has been working at the club for two weeks now, escorted home nearly every night by Damien. He remains civil to her, and Poppy is appreciative. The weeknights are mostly quiet, but the weekends are so busy, they make up for any lull. It’s now Friday, yet again, and she’s taking a break, a necessary one, after dealing with one of her worst customers yet. The way he acted was just too unsettling. She rubs her right forearm, wondering if she’ll get a bruise.

Thankfully the cad’s friends intervened before Tora and his men had to. And she is still intrigued by Tora, who remains ever present in his security role, aloof but no less alluring to her young sensibilities. She watches, surreptitiously, as countless women pursue him, and he rebuffs every single one. Candy’s attempts to woo him pretty much every night makes Poppy giggle to herself, especially at the grimaces on Candy’s face after he rebuffs her.

The women who flirt with him are so gorgeous, she simply can’t believe he’d refuse them. But he has. She’s also noticed that he’s always with the tall blond man, and she believes they are a couple. 

She knows the club is a speakeasy, and can’t help but notice several of the men have a similar tattoo on their neck. And now, after working the Saturday night shift, she knows that it’s also a haven for homosexuals. 

Poppy befriended several closeted gay men during her time in glee club, so she is far more progressive and accepting of such “alternative” and forbidden lifestyles than the other cig girls working at the Garden. She knows it’s much more than just a ‘lifestyle.’ Even one or two of the Garden magazines have homosexual story lines, and are just as erotic as so-called “normal” ones. 

_Pfft. No such thing as normal really, not when it comes to desire. Not when it can make you feel so good._

She now firmly believes there are likely no limits to the expression of lust—and love. Her break-up, her “emancipation” from Julri, meeting Erdene, and working at the club has only confirmed this even more than before, giving her hope that she can _feel_ something, experience something other than despair, pain, or loss.

Then, she was utterly surprised when William Shioki walked in last Saturday to perform in drag. They were inseparable at college, and he was just as delighted to see her. She hopes to catch up with him the next time he comes in. His performance was enthralling. 

Even so, she is quite self-conscious around all the other cig girls, who are much more glamorous and attractive. 

_Erdene thinks I’m being ridiculous—that I’m far more beautiful than any of them, but I just don’t see it. And_ **_he_ ** _couldn't possibly be interested in a plain girl like me._

Since she’s been making so much money, she’s already decided to keep working there. Granted it’s only been two weeks, but she has already made enough to pay off a good amount of Granny’s mortgage. She’s also very pleased at the friendship that she’s fostered with Erdene, and so rapidly. She never had such a close bond with a woman before in her whole life, other than what she has with her two cousins back in Moonbright. 

Erdene has been supportive of her new-found assertiveness, and has also helped her through some difficult moments when Poppy has been self-conscious and doubtful of her worth. While there is a large part of her that is still so innocent and inexperienced, she is rapidly discovering what life has to offer. She is spending some quality time fostering self-love, recognizing her value, feeling comfortable in her own skin, and essentially channeling her talents and knowledge—especially those feisty character traits— into a new life. 

She doesn’t know how long she’ll stay at the Garden, but she knows she can leave the old Poppy behind. It is unprecedented for a single woman to do what she’s been doing, so periodically she does feel judged by those she meets in public, especially those places she keeps visiting, looking for writing work, those spaces outside the purview of the club. Her gender remains to be the main deciding factor in her failure to meet her lifelong goal, but she is still determined to succeed.

But tonight she is close, oh so close to quitting the Garden. One gentleman—well not a gentleman, not really—kept grabbing her, saying unspeakable things to her. Somehow she managed to wrestle herself away from the slobbering creep without intervention from Garden security. While she was most definitely bothered by this attention, she managed to remove herself without being truly hurt. But what that buffoon had been doing pushes the boundaries of good taste—how you act in public, and how you behave as a decent man, even in a less than mainstream establishment.

_Disgusting pig! Ahhh!! Get yourself together, Poppylan. You are not at fault. You did nothing wrong._

She’s managing not to sob her eyes out, barely holding herself together. The man’s compadres pulled him off her, just before he went a bit too far. She fled here into the office, her only real option for refuge. She didn’t think anyone else saw what happened, or at least she hopes so.

Taking a deep breath, she starts to slowly relax, taking off her tray and apron, and, in a bit of spontaneity, she lets her hair down. Leaning back onto the desk, stretching and rubbing her neck, she looks up and suddenly notices a radio in the corner. She smiles, and walks over, turning it on low. It’s broadcasting a good tune, "[It Had to Be You](https://youtu.be/Wn035sTzyi4),” one of many of her favorites. She’s such a sucker for love songs.

_Ah, music. "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast. To soften rocks, or bend the knotted oak."_

She can’t help herself. She lets loose, singing along and swaying her hips a bit. Singing _always_ helps her calm down.

> For nobody else gave me a thrill
> 
> With all your faults
> 
> I love you still
> 
> It had to be you
> 
> marvellous you
> 
> It had to be you

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Quincey had just witnessed Claude do something dreadful to Poppy across the room. He’s a little surprised Tora didn’t notice it, too, as he has his eyes on Poppy more than not, but he hasn’t reacted as of yet, and he doesn’t want to poke the Tiger, so to speak.

But it happened in less than 5 minutes, and, to her testament, she handled it as well as can be expected. The goons sitting with Claude quickly pulled him off her. He watched her run off into the office, and rather than cause more of a scene, Quincey decides to duck in and check up on her himself. Besides, it’s now time for him to introduce himself.

After the discussion with Erdene two weeks ago, he’d been watching her from his spot, Tora by his side, impressed with her charm and attention to the clientele, even if they are Outfit men. He knows Tora has been watching, too, even more so, but the Tiger hasn’t made a move on her yet, despite his obvious interest.

_Maybe he isn’t aware of how much it shows on his face? Pfff. You better not wait too long, honey, or someone else will snatch her away. Someone not as worthy as you._

“Just running to my office, honey. I’ll be right back.”

Tora doesn’t even respond. He’ll watch the door from where he’s sitting, of course, to make sure no one goes in after him, but he just grunts back.

Quincey rolls his eyes, and walks off.

_F*cking neanderthal._

Just as Quincey puts his hand on the doorknob to turn it, he hears music and… singing. He opens the door as quietly as possible and he finds quite a sight. 

_Oh my heavens, this girl is a_ **_treasure_** _._

She doesn’t see him right away, and she keeps singing and dancing with her back to the door, her long hair flowing behind her. He listens and watches for several more verses, until the song is over, with a huge grin on his face. This little _doll_ is smoking hot, and talented as hell. Quincey is impressed, thinking to himself, without a doubt, _no audition required_. Before another song can start, he clears his throat to let Poppy know she’s no longer alone.

She turns around suddenly, a look of surprise and alarm on her face.

“Oh, goodness, I am so sorry. I will get back to the floor, sir.”

“It’s alright.”

She still scrambles to pin up her hair, reaching for her apron.

“Really, it’s okay. I just saw what happened out there. Are you okay?”

She freezes. _Fudge, he saw what happened._

“Anyways, I can have the man ejected, if he hurt you.”

“No, sir, that’s not necessary. I—“

“Really, Poppylan, I may have to insist.”

She’s shocked to realize he knows her name. 

“I’m sorry, who—“

Quincey then smiles at her, and chuckles a bit.

“It’s high time I introduced myself. My name is Quincey. I am the owner of this club. Actually, I’m very close friends with Erdene, and we actually own the Garden together. Erdene has told me about you. And no need to call me “sir,” it’s Quincey.” 

He makes a point _not_ to tell her his last name. _Just going to be cautious._

Poppy is feeling suddenly shy, and softly replies, “Very nice to meet you, Quincey.”

“Erdene told me how you love music. And as I just witnessed, I can tell, very much so. You are _very_ talented, Miss Poppylan. Have you ever considered performing professionally?”

Poppy's face flushes bright pink at this compliment.

“No, but I have performed in holiday choir concerts when I was a kid and I was in glee club in college. We had all kinds of performances and competitions. I guess you could say it is one of my true passions, but have never considered singing professionally. I’m not _that_ talented.”

Quincey had to laugh— _my word, t_ _his girl is too modest. Does she not know how good she is, how lovely she looks?_

“I beg to differ, Miss Poppylan. You are more than good.”

Poppy is so embarrassed she holds her hands over her face, eyes wide.

_Oh my god, he cannot be serious._

“So I think I have to ask you, then—what if you could perform for me? For the club? I could make it worth your while. You would be paid well. How does $100 a night seem?”

Poppy’s heart is pounding. _Sing? In front of people? In front of the people in this club?_

Quincey can sense her hesitation. 

“You can try it out once or twice, and if it works out, and I think it will, you can make lots of money, and you won’t have to be a cig girl all the time.”

Poppy is speechless at another too-good-to-be-true situation. How could her life have changed so much in just two weeks?

“And I have to tell you, Poppylan, your work as a cig girl has been exemplary. Yes, I have noticed. It’s my club, after all. Even the way you handled Claude just now, tells me you have spirit.”

“Can I consider it, think about it more, and get back to you?”

“Certainly, certainly. And why don’t you, Erdene, and I have brunch next Sunday? My treat, of course.”

“Thank you, Quincey. That would be lovely.”

“Wonderful! Now, I know Claude was a bit rough with you, so I want you to stay in here for awhile. No need to rush back out to the floor. I will let Erdene know about what happened. And another fact you might not know, Erdene is in charge of talent acquisition. We’ve been trying to replace Candy for months. And I think you fit the bill, my dear. If you ever need anything at all, ever, while you work here for _me_ , please let me know. My table is in the back.”

Quincey then winks at her, and quietly walks back out the door.

Poppylan stands there, pensive. 

_My life has been turned quite upside down, and in such short a time, but this?_

But before she can make any such decision, she knows she’ll have to have a long talk with Erdene. For now, she’s still reeling from the aggressive attack. Even so, and she doesn’t know where she is garnering such fortitude, she is starting to think more than likely she’ll tell him, “yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: $50 in 1927 is estimated to be worth $748.49 today!
> 
> Again, had to be careful in selection of music. Blessedly, there is some Gershwin and Berlin amongst the clanky jazz and blues!
> 
> Alas, minimal smut, more world-building.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erdene keeps Poppy company in the aftermath of her conflict with Claude. Erdene tells Poppy about how she and Quincey met, and Poppy, seeking personal growth, has an epiphany. Poppy reunites with a good friend, but there’s a misunderstanding—so the Tiger gets a wee bit jealous. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”  
> —Anäis Nin

After leaving Poppy in the office, Quincey finds Erdene.

“I have to tell you some things, but there are too many ears out here. Let’s go to the prop room.”

Erdene gestures to Gyu who will take over as maitre d’ while she steps away. There have been many changes to the Garden over the past two weeks. Erdene taking over as hostess is just one of them.

They both walk back, and as soon as they get there, Quincey shuts the door.

“OK, first there was a bit of an incident with Poppy.”

“Oh no, what happened?”

“I witnessed it across the room. Claude grabbed her ass, then her arm. Thankfully, Poppy is strong, and she got free. Before he could do anything else, the goons who were there with Claude pulled him away. She was able to get away, and she’s now in my office.”

Erdene knew this was likely to happen at some point.

“Where was security?”

“Well, Tora didn’t see it happen.’

“Oh?”

“Yeah, not like him at all. You know he spends most of his time with his eyes on her. But for whatever reason, it was one of those few times when he wasn’t watching her. Rather than create a scene, I didn’t tell him.”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

“Well, I didn’t want a fight, cause I think you know what he would have done if he witnessed it. He doesn’t like Claude in the least, and only tolerates him cause he's a lieutenant.

Erdene grumbles at that. _Fine, but that’s why we have security, Queen. Ugh!_

“Anyways, I snuck off towards my office to check on her. And well, I got a big surprise. She is in there, tray down, apron off, hair flowing down her back, and she is _signing._ The woman has mad talent, Dene. She was singing along with ‘It had to be you,’ and I listened and watched until the song was over.”

“And? What do you think? I mean I haven’t heard her sing much more than a few bars, but—“

“Dene, she is good, I mean she could sing professionally—she’s that talented.”

Erdene is impressed. 

“I asked her to sing for us. I offered a song or two, $50 a night. You know she thinks she’s ordinary and plain, both in her singing and her looks. I don’t know why she believes it. I mean the woman is a precious beautiful doll, a flower in full bloom.”

“So did she agree?” _You should have asked me first, but I”m going to let it go, Queen, as we discussed this already. But $50? That’s steep._

“She told me she’s going to think about it. And she filled me in about the glee club, concerts, choir and so on. We’ll have brunch on Sunday, and maybe by then she’ll give us an answer. This is just the first step in our plans, of course.”

“All good, Queen. All good. I’m going to go check in on her now.”

“Let’s go, Dene. If I don’t talk to you again, let’s plan for 10 am brunch?”

“Perfect, Quince. Let’s go.”

Quincey opens the prop room door, and they both go back out onto the floor. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Quincey returns to his table, while Erdene walks over to the bar.

“Brian? Martini.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Brian is the new bartender they hired to help Gyu on the weekends. So far, he’s been reliable and a hard worker, making Gyu’s life infinitely better already.

“Here you are, Miss Erdene.”

“Thank you, honey.”

She grabs the martini from Brian, and enters the office to see Poppy.

As she moves through the door, Poppy gets to her feet to greet her.

“Oh, Erdene. How are you tonight?”

Handing Poppy the martini, she says, “Drink.”

Poppy looks from the drink to Erdene, with a question on her face.

“Just toss it back. It will calm you down.”

Poppy has never tasted a martini, but she goes ahead and throws the drink into her mouth and swallows. The taste is bitter, and she coughs a bit.

Erdene smiles, “Well, I guess it is an acquired taste.”

“Wow, that tastes...like—“

“You don’t have to tell me, bathtub gin is its own animal, Pops. Anyways, how are _you_?”

“I”m good, thank you.”

“By the way, Quincey told me everything, Poppy—Claude, your singing, and his offer.”

“Oh, well, that saves some time.”

Erdene laughs at Poppy’s attempt at humor.

“Are you really okay? I mean, I hope Claude really didn’t hurt you.”

“I will admit it was a little unsettling. I may have a bruise or two. I managed to pull away from him, and his friends intervened. So there was no need to involve security.”

_This woman is just so gracious, even to a f*cking asshole like Claude._

“Anyways, just as Quincey mentioned, stay here for now, until Claude leaves. I can stay in here and keep you company, although I know you love to listen to the radio.”

“That’s very kind of you, Erdene.”

“And apparently Quincey told you about our co-ownership of the Garden, right?”

“Yes, cat’s out of the bag, Dene.”

“Right, well now you know. Hell, I should probably tell you how we met.”

Poppy has to admit she is curious to know this.

“I’d love to hear the story, so share away.”

Erdene knows this will not only satisfy Poppy’s curiosity but also help distract her from the unpleasantness that Claude’s little stunt has perpetrated.

“Well, we met years ago when we were teenagers in Paris—both of us disgruntled unhappy rich kids. He was 17 at the time, and I was 15. We were both essentially in hiding. As an “heiress,” I was hiding from my family’s expectations—marriage, babies, and so on. I went to Paris that year in full revolt. I wanted to—and still want to—experience all that life has to offer—art, culture, food, wine, and, yes, sex, even at such a young age. Ha, I’m still in hiding, to be honest. I’m still expected to get married and pump out babies. But the clock is ticking. Luckily mommy and daddy can’t do a thing, since I have a trust fund.”

Poppy wasn’t surprised at any of this. Any class issues aside, Poppy has always been expected to do the same.

“You know, I’m expected to do the same, too, Dene, even though my parents are long gone. But you know what? I’m in the same boat—I want to _live_ a little, at least for now. For a long time, I thought that was going to be my future, with... _him_. But now...”

_Fudge, I can’t even say his name anymore. And I don’t ever want to say it again..._

“Now I feel differently about it all.”

_I want to feel something other than regret, disappointment, and failure..._

Erdene looks at Poppy with just a touch of sadness on her face, feeling her plight.

“Sorry, Dene—continue.”

“Anyways, Quincey went to Paris only by the grace of his mother, goddess bless her soul. She was the one who paid for it, and finagled it so he could go. He too had his own family expectations—and he still has then, even now. He’s expected to take over for his father at some point, in the family business, but mostly, his father wants him to renounce his preference for men.”

Poppy nods her head, not realizing that Erdene is being careful to not bring up the Outfit affiliation.

“Yes, I know about Quincey. I have many gay friends, Erdene, so I understand.”

_Poppy, you are a gem._

“He, too, has had to face expectations of marriage, children, and those...family ties. But he, like me, like _us,_ wants to _live_. He has his writing, this club, and freedom, for now. But he and I? We have a very special relationship. We’ve had a physical relationship, one which we periodically rekindle. I mean Quincey sleeps with men, but he sleeps with women, too, sometimes. And he and I simply have a unique bond, one that goes beyond just sex.”

_I love him, in my own unique way... And that’s the way I want it._

“That is just…”

Poppy doesn’t know how to respond, not without lamenting her own messed up situation. But, now she has more questions, but now is not the time to ask them.

_Quincey is a writer? Hmm…_

“So, singing. You’ll have to come to my house and sing a few songs, to get yourself into the mindset again, yes? I have a grand piano, so I can play for you. You tell me what songs, and I’ll get the sheet music. And if you do decide to perform at the Garden, you don’t have to worry about Candy.”

“Well, I do worry about her. She has not been kind to me since the day I started. I’m afraid if I start performing, she will make my life hell.”

“Quincey already told me he will take care of it, take care of _her_. And you know, since Gil has disappeared, things have changed for her anyways. Most of us are happy with our new roles, mostly Jacob. But if Candy gives you shit, you come to me or Quincey, okay?”

Poppy sniffs a bit, and smiles slightly. 

_She still seems a bit upset._

“I have to say, Dene, I’m more than likely to say yes than no. I just have to think it through a bit more. Is that OK?"

Erdene is surprised she says this, after seeing how upset Poppy seems.

“Of course, Flower. We do not want to pressure you, we want to support you. I mean you are good, hell you are **_exceptional_**. Quincey is convinced you could sign a contract and tour the country for pity sake!”

“Oh my goodness, he did NOT say that! I’m just a plain girl who loves her radio, Erdene.”

_She’s doing it again._

“Learning about how you and Quincey met and what your lives are like makes me realize I’m not all that different. While you both escaped to Paris years ago, I’ve escaped here to Narin City, here and now, perhaps for similar reasons. And I am grateful I met you, Erdene.”

Poppy confesses, a result of the stress she’s been coping with since she left Moonbright, due to the assault she just managed to dodge, and finding herself. So with tears rolling down her face, she keeps going. 

“I want to feel joy, I want to feel passion, feel alive, I want to _feel,_ Erdene _._ I want to go back to being the real Poppylan Wilkes. I haven’t felt like myself for such a very long time. I miss her, who I was, who I should be, and look forward to having you meet the real me. Meeting you, _finding_ you and Quincey, working here… it’s been helping that lost me come out of hiding a little bit, letting her start to emerge. Will you let her in when she finally shows up?”

Erdene is a bit exasperated at how Poppy _still_ does not understand her own worth.

 _This is all because of that f*cked up man she was engaged to, isn’t it. I’m going to change that perception of yourself, Poppylan Wilkes._ **_We_ ** _are all going to let you in, the true Poppylan Wilkes, and show you how to_ **_live_** _._

“With open arms, love.”

Erdene reaches over, wiping the tears off Poppy’s face, and holds her a warm embrace.

“Now, I’m going to check to see if Claude is still here. As soon as I can confirm this, I’ll be back to get you. In the meantime, stay, listen to the radio, and sing and dance to your heart’s content.”

Poppy pulls out of Erdene’s embrace, and looks her straight in the eyes. 

“Thank you, Erdene. I mean it.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Erdene walks out of the office, leaving Poppy to relax, and then decides to make a circuit of the whole floor, making a point to find out if Claude is still in his seat. She knows Tora is watching her do this, as he watches everything, but doesn’t think he’ll notice that it’s anything out of the ordinary for her to do this. 

Much to her displeasure, Claude and his buddies are still at their table, boisterous as ever. 

_F*ck. Well, just have to avoid poking the bear, so to speak. Send another cig girl to distract him? Oh hell, these Outfit goons are barely tolerable._

Erdene finishes by swinging past Quincey’s table, cryptically asking him, “Talk later?”

He simply nods in agreement. They are still trying to keep the stuff with Claude and Poppy from Tora. Quincey has been checking on Claude, too, hoping beyond hope that he’d leave, but no such luck. If he weren’t so high up in the Outfit, he’d be escorted to the door. 

And _he_ is in a foul mood, and Quincey can’t quite figure out why. It doesn’t help that Poppy hasn’t done a circuit of her section for a while. 

Tora always feels so much calmer when he knows she’s there and can see her with his own eyes. He _wants_ to get up and look for her, but he can’t do that for any real reason.

“Honey, what is up with you tonight? You’re miserable. Do you need to get la—“

“Can it, princess. It’s nothin’.”

“But—“

“QUINCETON.” 

_Ooo, that has to be it._

Quincey can’t help but smirk. 

_Every time… I think I know why a certain Tiger boy is grumpy, well, grumpier. The heart and body wants what it wants. And_ **_his_ ** _wants a little curvy flower girl…. I’ve been watching her watching_ **_you_** _, too, Tiger, so I believe the feelings are mutual. I just have to get these two lovebirds together, get them to know each other, and I think I know just how._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Acousticon Hour. The Clicquot Club Eskimos. The Goldbergs. The High-Jinkers. Laundryland Lyrics or Sam ‘n’ Henry—she listens to as many of them as she can. 

Her love of radio knows no bounds, with a particular fondness for jazz music and the blues. So she sits and listens for a long time, longer than she expected. As a result, she’s feeling a calm she hasn’t felt for awhile. 

Despite Erdene telling her not to go back out, she feels she’s waited long enough. She’s returning to the floor. Besides—the longer she sits, the longer she’s _not_ earning tips. And these men, crude as they are, they always tip her more than she could ever had hoped.

 _I can’t hide forever, so I’ll just have to handle that creep. Even if he_ **_has_ ** _left for the night, he may be here tomorrow, the next day, or the next. So I need to find a way to...manage him._

She hasn't told either Quincey or Erdene, but he’s been ardently propositioning her since the day she started, and wishes he could understand that no means NO. 

_Well, if something else does happen tonight, there is security—I know_ **_he’s_ ** _watching, at least he usually is. Not sure why he didn’t see what happened tonight. But I know he has more responsibility than just me, so it’s fine. I was lucky…this time._

Poppy finishes putting her hair back in its chignon, dons her apron and bandeau, dispenses her funds to the lockbox, and restocks her cigarettes. Strapping her tray back on and taking several deep breaths, she walks back out the door.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next night is another queer cabaret, and the moment William arrives and reaches the end of the stairway entrance, Poppy can’t help but run up and greet him with a big hug. 

“Billy Willy! I was so hopeful you’d be here tonight!”

“Hello, my little Poppy Wop! You are just adorable as ever, sweet. And that get up? Whew! If I weren’t forever looking the _other way_? Well, I’d snatch you right up.”

Poppy laughs at this, of course. He is gay as gay can be, and she needs to ask him if he’s found a new man. He keeps his arm around her, ever affectionate. He’s missed his best friend, and is so thankful for reconnecting with her.

“I don’t know, Bill, you sure can sweet talk a girl.”

Poppy leers a bit at him, raising her eyebrows up and down, all in good humor of course, making him laugh.

“Anyways, can we plan a time to get coffee? Lunch maybe? I have to talk to you about something, get your advice, and alas, we can’t talk now—duty calls, as you and I have to work.”

“Oh, course, Poppy. I’m staying overnight, so I could do coffee tomorrow morning? I’m staying at the Narin Ritz. Is 9 too late?”

_And you have **got** to tell me how the hell you got a job here, of all places, working as a cigarette girl!_

“Not at all, that’s perfect! And I can’t wait for your act. What are you singing tonight?”

“Oh, a _woman_ never reveals her secrets like that, honey!”

Poppy grins, his drag performances have been _simply divine_.

“Well, your biggest fan is right here in front of you, so _she_ is eagerly awaiting to find out!”

William smiles, and gives her a big kiss.

“Love you, dear. Gotta go get dressed.” He looks over at Quincey, and blows him a quick kiss as he walks back toward the costume room.

“Ta ta, Bill!”

Poppy is pleased to see him again, and wants to chat with him about Quincey and Erdene’s offer of course. She turns and walks toward the office to stock up, with a huge smile on her face and a pep in her step. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“C’mon Tora, get the lead out. Chop, chop.”

_Keep it in ya pants, ya perv. For f*ck sake._

They walk out the manor front door, and make their way to the Garden, as they do just about every night. Tora is just thankful that Quincey has been amenable to riding together, and they have been doing so ever since that one night. 

_Thank f*ck for that. Makes my life much easier._

Since there are no fights, Tora and Quincey arrive for the typical Saturday night at the club. Quincey is always a bit more energized on Saturday nights, so he irritates Tora more than usual. 

Quincey insists they get there earlier than normal, as he likes to watch any performers arrive. And to ogle the cig boys. Tora hates to admit it, but he really doesn’t mind as much as he lets on, as he has much more time to focus on Poppy without so many people around.

Sitting at their table, getting their drinks, they both start their own inspection of a sort. Quincey on his subjects, and Tora on his, namely _her._

So, of course he’s watching Poppy closely.

_F*ck that woman does stuff to me._

She’s in costume, but is not wearing her tray yet. She’s been setting up tables with Erdene, flitting to and fro the only way Poppy can, energetic, magnetic, and sexy as f*ck. Then, without a care in the world, she bends over to pick up something that fell on the floor under the table she’s standing next to.

_Sweet f*cking hell, is she tryin’ ta kill me??_

He somehow manages to suppress a huge groan that floats up his throat, making a bit of an odd noise. 

Quincey looks over at him with a puzzled look on his face.

“Did you say something?”

But he sees Tora sitting up straight, with a hand over his mouth, eyes shut. 

_Oh, you dirty boy. I think I know what’s happening._

Quincey glances at the floor, and sure enough, he sees Poppy bent over, picking up something off the floor, white petticoat sticking out and her satin-covered ass on full display. 

_Oh, you f*cking pervert! And Poppylan, oh, you are a juicy treat! The night is already starting out in fine form, isn’t it, Tiger._

“Gotta go to the can. Be right back.”

Tora practically runs to the hallway, Quincey quietly laughing at his obvious predicament.

Running into the water closet, he slams the door behind him, panting. He knows he has to get control back, so maybe….maybe he can’t wait.

_Thank f*ck this door has a lock._

Locking the door, he essentially undresses, taking off his jacket, throwing off his suspenders off his shoulders, dropping his pants and boxers to his ankles. His cock is at full alert, pulsing with lust, and he grabs on tight. He quickly and roughly grips with one hand and moves up and down with the other, pursuing a fast and hard release. 

_I swear that image is gonna be in my mind for all time._

Just thinking of her again, like that, bent over, ass in the air.

_That peach of an ass… F*CK!_

This sets off an orgasm, making him almost fall over onto his face, a low moan seeping from his mouth. He has just enough time to grab a nearby towel to catch the jizz.

Breathing heavily, he manages to clean himself up and gets redressed. 

_Whew._

He stays in the closet for a few more minutes, smoking a cigarette to further calm him down. He’s thinking that he doesn’t know how much longer he can stay away from her.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora walks out of the water closet, and returns to his seat. Before Quincey even has a chance, Tora speaks first.

“Don’t say a f*cking word, Quinceton. I mean it.”

Quincey doesn’t, but has a smirk on his face. 

_Ah, Tyger…_ **_my_ ** _Tiger, you are indeed quite the fearsome creation, but I must say, or as_ [ _Blake_ ](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43687/the-tyger) _says,_

> _And what shoulder, & what art, _
> 
> _Could twist the sinews of thy heart?_

_F*ck,_ **_I_ ** _know what, or rather_ **_who_** _, has your heart in knots, who may be a weakness. It’s actually a bit romantic, my man. Nothing so scary as being in love… and maybe for the first time ever?_

Just then, Quincey notices Billy come walking down the stairs, and, to his utter shock, he sees Poppy go running up to Billy, giving him a boisterous, big hug. 

_Poppylan knows Billy? Oh, this is too good!_

He also notices that Tora is now on full alert at this greeting, and he does NOT look happy. 

_F*ck he is practically snorting in rage! I thought the shit with Candy was entertaining. Let’s see how this plays out_.

They both watch as Poppy is effervescent while the two chat, and Billy is just as enamored, or at least it seems this way. He's holding her in his arms, and Poppy is clearly being quite flirtatious.

Quincey quickly glances at Tora, to see what _he_ thinks of this, and he is sitting with his arms crossed and a grim countenance on his face.

 _OOOoooo, he is fuming! Tiger be_ **_jealous!_**

Billy gives her a big kiss, and then the duo parts. As Billy walks away from Poppy to the back of the club, he looks right at Quincey, blowing **him** a quick kiss. Poppy is practically skipping her way back to the office, a huge smile on her face. Tora is sulking, for sure.

_Do I tell him?_

Quincey decides not to torment him any longer, for once.

“I didn’t know Poppy was friends with Billy.”

Tora just grunts at him.

“Billy is one of our best drag queens.”

Silence.

“You know he and I are dating, right?”

Tora shoots a furious look at him.

“What are ya talkin’ about?”

“Tora, honey, Billy is GAY. He is not after Poppy. I promise.”

Tora growls, but a little less menacingly, and his posture manages to ease, just a little bit.

 _This man has got it,_ **_bad_** _._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read more about [The value of radio](http://americainclass.org/sources/becomingmodern/machine/text5/text5.htm)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy has coffee with her best friend, then is scheduled to have brunch with Erdene, Quincey—and Tora. Poppy has made her decision (it’s yes, if you haven’t guessed), so in two weeks, it’s showtime for Poppy, who is still doubtful of her talent and nervous in general. Soon she’ll be practicing her song selections and working on a wardrobe, so she is now one step closer to burlesque time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.”  
> —Louise Erdrich - The Painted Drum  
> 
>
>> "Similar to a butterfly, I've gone through a metamorphosis, been released from my dark cocoon, embraced my wings, and soared!”  
> —Dana Arcuri

Saturday night festivities are starting to wind down at the Garden, and Poppy is feeling great. She’s so happy she finally connected with William, and is feeling so much better after yesterday’s fiasco with Claude. She always likes to work on Saturdays, because Claude and other such _crude_ men simply don’t come to the Saturday night cabarets.

Poppy wants to connect with Erdene and Quincey before she leaves for the night to make sure they are still on for brunch the next day. In fact, since she is having coffee in the morning with William, she’s wondering if perhaps they might push it back a little, so she can spend more time with her best friend. 

She can’t seem to find Erdene who must be in the back room or on break, so she walks over to Quincey’s table to talk to him. Tora is sitting next to him smoking a cigarette. Feeling a bit hesitant to approach them, she decides to just do it. She’s been so assertive doing so many other things lately, so why let the most attractive man she’s ever met discourage her?

_Deep breaths, Poppylan. Deep breaths. He is way out of your league._

“Good evening, Quincey, Tora, how are you?”

“And good evening to you, too, Poppylan. I am well!”

Tora doesn’t speak, and just looks at her with those intense amber eyes and nods slightly.

_O-kay. Whew! He is beyond handsome, Poppylan. Get it together and keep going._

“Anyways, I want to confirm the time for tomorrow, Quincey, as I have a date for coffee in the morning. I haven’t seen him some time, so I was wondering if we could meet at 10:30 instead?”

“Oh, well I will ask Erdene, but I think that will be fine.”

“Great, I appreciate it. I want to spend as much time with him as I can. You actually might know him, as he sang tonight—William Shioki?”

“Oh, William. Yes, I do. And how do you know him?”

Tora has yet to say anything, and just keeps watching her—he simply can’t think coherently or even speak at the same time he’s looking right at her, especially while she’s wearing _that_ costume. It’s enough of a strain _not_ to stare at her figure, let alone her face.

 _F*ck she is hot. But she also has a terrific smile. In fact, the more she smiles, the more beautiful she is… I think I could watch her all night. F*ck, what am I saying, I do that anyways, but I don’t always get the pleasure of being so close to her. This is just_ **_gravy_** _. And her voice is the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. And I’m a bit of a creep, staring at her like this, aren’t I?_

“William? Yes, well, became best friends in college, during glee club.”

 _Oh, thank f*ck, I thought I might be another guy. And this_ **_is_ ** _the guy Quince is dating, right?_

Poppy laughs a little, as if remembering a silly joke. 

_That laugh… Can she get any more attractive?_

“Ha, you know we also almost got married. But well, I think you know why, Quincey. It would have been one of _those_ weddings. Plus I had met someone, and we… I thought we were… Anyways, where will we be having brunch? I can meet you there.”

Poppy was NOT going to talk about _him_ or say his name, so she quickly changed the subject.

_She met someone else? Who the f*ck might that be?_

“Why don't I have Tora pick you up. Tora, you could do that, right?”

Tora doesn’t answer.

_F*ck man, stop staring at her and get your head in the game._

“ **_Tora_ **…”

“What—“

“You can pick up Poppy and bring her to brunch, right? Pick her up from her date?”

“Sure. Give me time and place, and I’ll be there.”

“Right. My date is at the Narin Ritz at 9, so depending on where brunch is, you can pick me there at 10?”

“You got it.”

“Thank you so much, Tora. I’ll see you tomorrow. Well, I have to help with shut down. Good night to both of you.”

Poppy turns around, and goes back across the room to finish cleaning off tables for the night.

Tora is watching her walk away, when Quincey smacks on the arm.

“What the f*ck was that?”

“What ya talkin’ about?”

“Man, you were outright _staring_ at her. Like she’s a piece of meat.”

Tora actually blushes a bit at the fact that Quincey had noticed, but doesn’t say anything. 

_F*ck. Caught. Did she notice, too? Actually I wouldn’t mind if she noticed. In fact, she can stare back at me all she wants._

“Anyways, did I tell you Erdene and I are having brunch with her? I think as my bodyguard you’ll need to attend, too. OK? I hope you can come, so plan to stay after you pick her up.”

_Quince, you are a genius._

Putting out his cigarette, Tora has a small smile on his face, continuing to watch Poppy.

“I could do brunch.” 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora knew he would have a relatively short window of time that morning to get into her room to search it. It took this long just to find a time when he knew she would not be there. He had to watch for her to leave and then get in, search, and leave in time to pick her up at the Narin Ritz at 10. 

_That’s cutting it close._

He’s standing at his usual lamppost across the street at 8:30 when he watches her walk out the front door of the boarding house. 

_Beautiful as ever. See ya soon, sweetheart._

He continues to watch as she walks to the opposite corner and manages to hail a taxi.

_Go time._

He waits a few more seconds, maybe half a minute, then crosses the street, entering the front door. He’s a bit dismayed that the door is unlocked.

_F*ck. This is not good._

There is no bell over the door, nor any other sound in what seems to be more a hallway than a lobby. That’s when he notices there is a sign hanging from the ceiling of a nearby room with the word, “Office.” Quietly he moves to the room in the front corner, to the the left of the main door. He pulls out his picks, and it takes him mere seconds for the lock to click open.

He enters her room, slowly pushing the door shut. It’s small, with a bed, desk, chair, and a dresser. A mirror hangs above the dresser, and there is a radio on the desk. A small closet next to the dresser is ajar. He goes there first. 

There are a few dresses on hangers, and he lightly runs his fingers over each one. On the shelf above is a medium-sized suitcase. Pulling it down, he can tell it’s empty. He opens it anyways to be sure, and finds a small sachet in the corner. He pulls it to his nose and takes a deep sniff and groans.

_F*ck, smells like her._

He doesn’t notice the magazines hidden in the liner of the suitcase. He puts the suitcase back, and finds a pair of boots and two pairs of shoes. There is nothing else in the closet.

He next looks in the desk drawers. There are assorted magazines and not much else. On top of the desk next to the radio is a small stack of books. _Pride and Prejudice, The Beautiful and the Damned, The Professor’s House, The Secret of Chimneys, The Awakening,_ and... _The Case of the Impassioned Paisley Prince?_

 _She’s got one of_ **_his_** _? F*ck, that is hilarious! And he thinks the same caliber as the big ones? He’ll probably be proud. Pffft._

He sniggers at this find. This is one of Quincey’s little secrets--he writes mystery novels. And dirty stories.

_Wait until I tell Quince. Or maybe I won’t. I can’t tell him what I’m doing here._

He finds some writing paper and a pencil or two. No notes or letters or anything. 

He moves to the bed and looks underneath. Nothing but dust bunnies. He caresses her pillow, then lifts it to smell her on it. Of course her smell is on everything, is everywhere. 

_Sigh. I gotta stop doing this._

He puts her pillow back, and moves to the dresser, opening each drawer. The top drawer holds her undergarments, and he’s so tempted to pull one or two of them out to fondle them. Then he spots a small linen handkerchief with her initials. He smiles to himself, grabs it and puts it in his pocket. He quickly lifts whole stacks of garments, looking for a bag that might be stashed underneath, but there’s no sign of it, no bag or ledger to be found. 

_If it’s not here, where the f*ck is it then?_

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy arrives at the Narin Ritz with just a few minutes to spare. Entering the lobby, she sees William sitting at a divan in the lobby, reading a newspaper.

“Willy Billy!”

“Good morning, my Poppy Wop.”

He gets to his feet, embracing her and giving her a big kiss.

“Shall we?”

He escorts her to the dining room, and they take a seat. He orders coffee and some sweet rolls for them both.

“So, what’s going on, Pops. How the _hell_ did you become a cig girl at the Garden? Where’s Julri?”

Poppy knew he would ask, so she’s prepared herself, and decides she’s going to tell him the truth.

“Julri is no longer my fiancee, Bill. I found him with another woman. We’re through.”

“I”m so sorry, dear. I know you were mad about him.”

“Yeah, well, I’m discovering that I was mad about the idea of being in love, not in love with _him.”_

“Alright then, how about the cig girl job? I’d never think in a million years you’d be doing somethin so, so….”

“Risqué? Daring? Sexy?”

“Yes, I guess so.”

Poppy laughs.

“It was a completely arbitrary decision. I met Erdene on the train, just after I just found Julri sleeping with another woman and I have to admit I was in shock. When we got to Narin City, she invited me to tea, and to spend the night. She seemed harmless, and she really is. She’s now a good friend. She guessed I needed the money, and I do, of course. She thought I could do it. I’m really not cig girl material, but the tips are great.”

“Well, that’s quite the story, Pops. Still, I think you _are_ cig girl material, you just don’t see it, do you.”

“Pfft. You silly man, I’m too ordinary. Not glamorous. Not tall and lanky.”

“Poppylan Wilkes. I may be gay, but you, _you_ , are hot. You are beautiful. You have _curves_ , woman. Curves that many men, and some women, would want to hold. Your hair is simply stunning. I’m jealous, honestly. And, my sweet, my Poppy Wop, you have a _beautiful soul_. That’s what makes you so much more attractive. You are f*cking irresistible.”

Poppy is speechless. 

“Oh, you are too modest, woman! What am I going to do with you?”

_Leave it to him to say these things. He always makes me feel better._

“Maybe, just maybe you’re right. Well, whether I am cig girl material, I made $50 in tips my first night.”  
  
“You what????”

“Yep. I thought maybe they were taking pity on me, but now that you told me all that, maybe it’s cause I’m the most beautiful stunning cig girl in the world.”

She says this to him with a smirk.

“Ha, ha, very funny. But you are just that love, to me.”

He lifts Poppy’s hand and kisses it. 

“Now, what is it you wanted my advice about?”  
  
“Well, now don’t laugh.”

William rolls his eyes. “Go on.”

“Quincey wants me to sing at the club. One night a week, two to three songs at most.”

“And you said yes, right? I mean you are an incredibly gifted singer.”

“No, not yet. I think I’m going to say yes, but I really wanted your opinion. And I have ideas for my first songs, too.”

William laughs. 

“Leave it to you to plan what songs you’re going to sing _before_ you even make a choice.”

“Shush, you. Anyways, do you think I should do it? Sing? At that club? It would be on Friday’s and he said he’d pay me $50 a night. He’d give me a chance, to see how well I’d do, of course.”

“Wow. I think you know the answer to this, Pops.”

“Yes, I do.”

“So what songs?”  
  
“First one I thought of is “Lady Be Good.” It’s all about growth, taking chances, and asking lady luck to _be good_ to me. Apropos yes? I need to get past the break-up, and this just seems like it’d be a lot of fun, almost like all those glee concerts we went to, but on a smaller scale. And I may put some jazz or blues style to it, you know? And I’ve tweaked the lyrics a bit.”

“Good choice, good ideas. Of course you changed the lyrics—that’s my Poppy for you! You may have to change the octave, can you sing alto?”

“It’s a bit hard to hit the low notes, true, but I’m going to practice of course. Erdene has a piano in her mansion, and we’ll practice there. I won’t have an orchestra, just a piano accompaniment and a mike, but you know me, my projection is really good.”

“OK, next song?”  
  
“The second will be “Someone to Watch Over Me”--you know I'm a sucker for love songs. And though I’m really taking a break on romance, it’s a good fit. Again, changed some of the lyrics.”

“Another good choice.”

“I’m really more of a jazz-blues fan, so when I sing, I will use that style.”

“I think you need to tell Quincey, ‘yes.’”

“And I will. I’m having brunch with him and Erdene at 10:30. And thank you--I really wanted your opinion and thoughts before I said yes.”

They chat for several more minutes. She asks William if he’s been dating at all, and he is evasive. He doesn’t want to tell her he’s been dating Quincey, since it’s basically hush-hush. They part ways, and Poppylan heads to the hotel’s entrance to wait for Tora.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Erdene is getting ready to walk out the door when her phone rings. She’s annoyed, but she picks it up anyway.

“Hello?”

“Dene, it’s me. I want you to know. I’ve invited Tora to brunch with us. And I want to keep this stuff about Poppy singing a secret, you know, to surprise him.”

“Ooh, is this part of our plan? Matchmaking or messing with him, or both?”

“I think it will be a little of both. He _never_ wants to come to brunch with me. I suggested he give her a ride, and he said yes without hesitation.”

“Yeah, I think he does want to give her a ride, Quince, if you know what I mean. But keep in mind, we may not be able to avoid discussing the music, Quince.”

“Of course I know. It was obvious last night when she walked up to our table and the cretin just stared at her. He’s got it bad, Dene. My hope is that we can discuss singing when he goes to smoke. Pfft. The only time I’m counting on him smoking those nasty things. Usually I can’t stand it. Anyways, gotta go. See you soon, love!”

“Bye Quince. See you shortly.”

_Oh, Poppylan, you have no idea what we have in store for you, dear. And I **cannot** wait. _


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tora and Poppy arrive at Quincey's for brunch. Quincey grills her about her life and background, and Poppy shares the dirt on Julri. Poppy gives Quincey and Erdene the answer they wanted, so plans are made for next steps--practice, practice, practice, of course, and Poppy and Erdene manage to find the perfect dress.

Tora manages to arrive a bit early at the Narin Ritz to pick up Poppy. He’s too anxious to sit and wait, so he goes inside and sees her sitting in the dining room with William. Even though Quincey has already told him about WIlliam, he still feels a bit jealous. 

And seeing them sit so close together makes him feel testy. He manages to hide behind a nearby column to eavesdrop on their conversation. He hears Poppy ask him about who he’s dating, and Tora is relieved at this question, but also surprised William doesn’t mention Quincey. 

_That’s his business. And I wonder if this guy knows how Quincey dates more men than he himself can keep track of._

Tora notices that they are wrapping up, getting up out of their chairs, and saying goodbye, so he manages to go sneak back out front without Poppy seeing him. He’s waiting by his BMW at the curb as she emerges. 

“Hey, beautiful.” 

_F*ck. I said that_ **_out loud_** _, didn’t I?_

She looks up at his voice, and blushes a little bit—and gives him that smile he loves so much.

“Hello, Tora.”

_Oh, MAN, she has that gorgeous smile on her face again._

He knows he is a complete sap for that smile. 

_I’ll drive her anywhere, any day of the week, any time--just to see that smile again and again._

He opens the passenger door for her, and she sits down and tucks her legs in. He can’t help but ogle her while doing so, of course.

 _F*ck, every_ **_inch_ ** _of her makes me crazy. Get a grip, man._

He moves back to the driver’s side, getting behind the wheel, and drives to Quincey’s home, where brunch will be taking place. Neither says anything the entire ride. They arrive just before 10:30 am, and he opens the car door for her. She reaches for his proffered hand.

_Just another reason to be her personal chauffeur, so I can touch her._

She again smiles at him, saying “Thank you.” 

He hesitates a few moments, not quite knowing what to say at first, then he quickly replies, “Welcome.”

She walks up the stairs to the manor’s main entrance, and he follows right behind her. She must not realize he’s coming to brunch as well, but no matter. 

He rings the bell, and Quincey’s butler opens the door. 

“Good morning, sir, ma’am, won’t you please come in?”

Tora allows Poppy to enter first, of course, then he quickly follows. He hands his fedora to the butler. Poppy removes her gloves and cloche hat, and hands them to him as well.

“Won’t you follow me, please?”

The butler brings them to the front dining room, where Erdene and Quincey are waiting for them both.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Quincey asks her a bunch of questions, stuff he already knows the answers to, of course. Like where she grew up, about college, glee club, and so on. He’s only doing this so Tora can learn more about her. She’s told Quincey and Erdene all of this already, but she enthusiastically shares, regardless. 

At first Poppy is a bit flustered. 

_I didn’t know_ **_he_ ** _was going to be staying. Not that I_ **_really_ ** _mind, but still a girl could use a little bit of warning._

Periodically, she flubs some of her story, stumbling over her words, and blushes a bit. She’s _so_ aware of him sitting next to her, so she has to work hard not to keep messing up what she’s saying. She keeps clenching her thighs, as she is so super sensitive to how close his chair is to hers. 

She boldly shares more about Julri than she has before, and they are all shocked. How he cheated, disrespected her, and made her question everything about herself. Tora is particularly upset to learn about him, not that he outwardly shows it. He has to get out of there before he smashes something. 

“Going for a smoke.”

_That f*cking dickwad ex-fiancée of hers… didn’t he see what he had right in front of him?!? And treating her like that? If I ever meet him in a back alley, it’s all she wrote. F*CKER IS DEAD._

While he is out smoking, Quincey and Erdene take the opportunity to ask Poppy for her answer.

“So Poppy, do you have an answer for us?”

“Yes, yes I do.”

“And?”

“It’s yes, of course.”

Quincey and Erdene look at each other, grin, and grasp each other's hands.

“You will not regret it, Poppylan!”

“After a long discussion with William this morning, I knew I had to do it. He is, afterall, one of my biggest fans.”

Poppy gives them a big grin, and she can tell how pleased they are at her decision.

“So, you two, what are the next steps?”

“Well, we will have to give you a little time to prepare. We were thinking, two weeks?”

“That should be fine. And I’ve already chosen two songs to start with. Perhaps I’ll tell you more later, but they are two songs that have particular meaning for me right now. I’ve tweaked the lyrics a bit to suit me.”

“You will definitely have to tell us more, but for now--which ones did you pick?”

“Let me know if you don’t know these songs, alright?

Quincey and Erdene both nod, so she continues.

“First choice? ‘Lady be Good to Me’—I am, after all, an emerging ‘blossom’ undergoing growth, new to the city, and I want all the help from Lady Luck I can get, so I want her to be _good_ to me of course.”

Quincey is flat out charmed at her ingenuity and interpretation of the lyrics. Erdene is floored at her originality and spirit. But they will wait to discuss all of this after brunch is over and she's gone home.

“Second is ‘Someone to Watch Over Me.’ Of course, this is a song about finding someone, someone who will take care of you and treat you with respect, but it’s much more than that. After Julri, I… I… Anyways, just so you know, I’m trying to stay _away_ from romance. So you two have done so much for me, and you both in a sense are watching over me. And it’s also a popular song. I’ve always been a sucker for a love song anyways, especially a Gershwin brothers tune.”

Quincey sees the look on Poppy’s face, and understands what she’s trying to say, of course. He’s dealt with love and heartbreak before—and he too wants someone to respect him and take care of him. Increasingly, though, he believes for him, it’s always going to be Erdene.

 _I think you_ **_are_ ** _looking for love, Poppy, but I understand if you want to take a break from romance. We may still play matchmaker for you, honey, eventually. And there is a certain Tiger who I think would treat you well, believe you me._

“So do you have any qualms about my choices?”

“Not at all, Pops. I think we can chat more tomorrow, if that’s okay by you.”

“Sure!”

At this point, Tora walks back through the door, and sits back down, and they continue to sit, eat, and chat, most ardently avoiding the subject of Poppy’s upcoming debut.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thirty minutes later, Tora volunteers to take Poppy home, and she graciously accepts. 

As soon as they leave, Erdene and Quincey reconnoiter and share notes.

“So, what do you think, Quince?”

“This is going to be _so good_ , I mean, I am tickled pink, Dene. I do want to hear her sing those songs ahead of time of course, but I think she is going to be fabulous. And I think she’ll surprise herself.”

“I feel the same way. And I think you should talk with William, too. When do you see him again?

“We’re going out tonight, actually, before the Garden opens.”

“Good. He’s so sweet and a good guy. Please give him a kiss for me. And you know, tell him my idea, feel him out see if he’s open to it at least, Queen.”

Quincey smiles at her. He has no idea if William will go for it, but who knows. Maybe he could be...persuaded? It’s a relatively new relationship, but a threesome could be incredibly erotic and satisfying for all three of them. He and Erdene have pursued such dalliances before. But he can’t promise he’ll even ask, but he’s not telling Erdene that.

“You’ll _have_ to talk to him about Poppy, and I’m guessing he’s going to ask _you_ some questions, too.”

“Ha, ha—true.”

“But otherwise, I think Poppy has a vulnerable part of her that tempers her enthusiasm a bit. I have to constantly remind her of her worth, beauty, value. I mean I think that creep she was engaged to really did a number on her self-esteem, Quincey.”

“I know. I noticed that, too. But you heard what she said about the first song she chose, ‘Lady Be Good’? I may have heard it before, but it’s been awhile. I’ll pick up sheet music for both songs as soon as possible so we can both practice it ahead of time.”

“You know, this actually may be a good way to get her to move out of that dreadful boarding house. It will be easier for her to practice and prepare if she stays with me, and I’ve already asked her to move in with me, so can you help me convince her?”

“Of course! I _hate_ where she lives. She is such a stubborn woman! And when she told us she picked each song for a reason, and that she _modified_ the lyrics? Unreal! She is a pip, Dene!”

Erdene laughs. 

“Like I said vulnerable, tempered by enthusiasm equals POPPYLAN!” 

The two of them continue to talk for quite a while, discussing how they can coordinate their efforts to make this first step of their plan a success. They have a lot to do in order for her to debut in two weeks, help her prepare and make other arrangements, particularly wardrobe decisions. 

Quincey tells Erdene that they’ll keep Candy on, sort of as an opening act, for now, but most likely they will eventually be able to ease her out, depending on the reception of Poppy’s new act. They are particularly pleased how well they have been able to keep it a surprise to almost everyone, especially Tiger boy.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora is in the gym later that day, and as usual, he’s hitting the bag, hard. He is still angry about that f*cker who cheated on Poppy. And having her sit so close to him in the car has made him a bit wired.

Next thing he knows, he looks up and Smithy is in front of him.

_Oh f*ck, here we go again._

Vincent Balthuman is paying Tora another visit, likely for some kind of report, but there’s always the chance it's a job. 

_Not that I have anything to report, but f*ck, I hope it’s_ **_not_ ** _a job._

Tora stops his punching. He walks to a chair sitting next to the far wall, sits down, and takes a huge sip from a water glass sitting nearby, then wipes his forearm over his sweaty brow.

Vincent enters moments later and walks over, stopping in front of him.

“Always good to see you keeping up your physique, m’boy.”

Tora doesn’t respond and just stares up at him.

“Well, I need a report. What have you found?”

“Nothing. No ledger, no Goliath.” 

It’s mostly the truth. He hasn’t even begun to look for Goliath.

“Unacceptable. I want results. I want answers in a week.”

Tora shrugs. “Can’t get blood from a stone. If I can’t find ‘em, I can’t find ‘em. Whatta want me to do?”

Vincent stares at Tora for several minutes, then steps closer to him, very close, bending over to talk softly into his left ear.

“Do not f*ck with me, boy. Find them. Or you _will_ pay.”

Tora is really not sure _how_ he’d make him pay, and at first it seems like an empty threat. But he’s sure Vincent would find some way to punish him, likely some sort of physical abuse. There have simply been too many times when he’s had to take it. But then again, he _could_ hurt someone important to him, if there were someone like that. At this point, he breaks eye contact.

 _That’s why I have to stay as far away from Poppylan as I can. If he_ ** _ever_** _found out about her and he hurt her? It’d be all over. Just one threat to her, and I’d kill ‘em. Then I’d be dead. No win scenario._

He has to make a substantial effort NOT to shudder at what Vincent might do, even though he couldn’t possibly know anything about Poppy, when _Poppy_ didn’t know anything about how he felt either. But the memories of how Vincent hurt him in the past and how he’s hurt others around him are not pleasant thoughts. Not at all. The best he can do at this point is not make eye contact. 

Vincent doesn’t say anything else. Then he and Smithy promptly walk out of the gym.

Tora is relieved they’ve left, and he puts his head down between his knees, taking huge breaths of air. He sits back up, gulping down the rest of his water, and returns back to pounding the bag more, this time with considerably more ferocity.

Between the ledger, his brother, _and_ Poppylan, he’s in a tough spot.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next day, Poppy arrives at Erdene’s mansion, raring to go. Quincey managed to find sheet music for both songs the day before, so Erdene has already spent some time practicing the piano portion first, then starting again with Poppy sitting at her side. Poppy is of course very adept at reading sheet music, so she easily helps her turn the pages. 

“You know, this _is_ a great song, Pops.”

“I know, right?? It has to be one of my absolute favorites, and like I said yesterday, it has such relevance to me now. I’m working so hard to be positive. And I am going to put my own spin on it, my own style, and you’ll hear it of course when I practice it, but I think it will be something no one else is doing.”

“I cannot wait! Poppylan Style—I like it!”

They continue, and Erdene plays both songs through several times, and eventually they both start singing along, and start laughing so hard, they had to stop and catch their breaths.

“Okay, that’s enough. My sides are hurting from so much laughing, Flower.”

Poppy just keeps right on giggling. 

“Enough, Pops! Time for a break—food, wine, and then—WARDROBE!”

After their long session, and an even longer break, they decide to take a deep dive into Erdene’s closet. After pulling out dress upon dress, she _finally_ whips out the perfect one.

It is fashioned from a black mesh crepe fabric, with a mermaid hem just past the knee. It’s shape hugging with spaghetti straps and has a modest but elegant v-neck, and a classic shawl capelet with a scalloped hem and overlaid with golden sequins, beads, and embroidered sparkling flowers.

Poppy looks at herself in the mirror and doesn’t even recognize herself.

“Oh Erdene, this is _beautiful,_ and so glamorous _._ Are you sure I can wear this?

“Most definitely, Flower. It was designed by a friend, the only one of its kind. I’ve never actually worn it.”

It fits Poppy almost perfectly, all it needs are some minor alterations. Erdene says she will take care of contacting a seamstress.

Now that they found a dress, they go out shopping, this time buying black satin heels and lingerie to match the dress. Erdene is quite insistent on the undergarments, so she helps Poppy select silk tap pants, black garters and stockings, but no bra or slip, feeling neither are necessary. Erdene had wanted to find Poppy a dress to showcase Poppy’s curves, and boy did she find the right one. 

When it gets closer to show time, she and Poppy will talk about hair and makeup. Erdene is thinking she should wear either a relaxed version of her chignon or perhaps a French braid, plus a red hibiscus blossom tucked behind her right ear. 

Just before they leave for their shift at the Garden, Poppy does mention to Erdene how she will have to figure out how she’s going to rehearse, job search, _and_ work nights. Erdene reminds her of the initial offer for her to move in. Poppy seems more persuaded than before, but since they need to get going, she’ll have to wait to make that decision, too.

She has to admit, moving into Erdene’s mansion would be preferable to staying in that boarding house, but she is still not convinced yet. Not really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration for [Poppy's dress](https://www.unique-vintage.com/products/unique-vintage-1920s-black-mesh-golden-sequin-beaded-capelet). Yes, it's real. And it's frigging gorgeous!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preparations for the show continue until finally, the angel makes her debut. Quincey learns about Poppy's literary background.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Awake my dear, be kind to your sleeping heart; take it out into the vast fields of light and let it breathe."  
> ~ Háfiz

Erdene and Poppy continue with rehearsals. Soon, Quincey participates, too, as he will be playing piano for her on stage.

After one particularly long practice session and a few days before the performance, Poppy excuses herself. She has some things to do before her shift at the Garden, so she bids them both goodbye, and Erdene and Quincey stay behind to chat.

“So, Dene...I am so impressed by Poppy. Hands down, no doubt she will be phenomenal. I think she will wow everyone. Just participating in these practice sessions only cements my opinion of her talent.”

“I totally agree, Queen. And wait until you see the dress we found. It is soooo lovely. She is gonna sparkle. And she is so naturally pretty, I don’t think we’ll need to use much makeup either.”

“Wonderful. So we haven’t really talked about it all, but can you think of anything that would be or is a problem, anything that I should be concerned about?”

“Goddess, no, at least I don’t think so. Maybe… maybe have someone cover Claude? That man will not leave her alone! I mean Tora can only do so much to him, as he’s an Outfit guy. Poppy manages to avoid him most of the time, but I know she gets tense anytime Claude is nearby. All us cig girls have been running interference for weeks, but these performances? They may elevate her visibility substantially--who she interacts with and not just at the club either. Maybe you can have Tora assigned to her? I know for a fact he watches her like a hawk already, but if we could, I don’t know, have him exclusively watch her publicly? As her bodyguard? I believe he’d volunteer in a heartbeat, but he’s your man, Quince.”

“Let me think about it more, Dene. He’s my ‘Outfit assigned’ bodyguard, so it might get tricky. And you’re right--it wouldn’t be difficult to persuade him, of course. I mean Tora so obviously lusts after her, and I worry because sometimes he isn’t aware how open his admiration is, if you get my drift.”

It’s all Erdene can do but smirk.

“Yeah, Quincey, I’ve noticed from the moment she started at the club that he is clearly smitten with her. Not that the fool will ever do anything about it. Man needs some lovin’ don’t you think?”

Quincey laughs at that.

“Most definitely. He gets all surly when I try to talk to him about her. He’s never had anything more than a passing interest in any woman since I can remember, if even ever, so his attraction to her is a big deal, if you ask me.”

“Well, she watches him, too, you know. I know she told us she’s trying to take a break from romance and men, but more than once I’ve caught her looking at him the same way he looks at her.”

Quincey is pensive at that little nugget of insight. He’s actually never witnessed her doing that, so he’s going to try and remember it. Perhaps he can even tell Tiger boy himself.

“But, Quincey, most of all, we have to keep boosting her confidence. She has these moments where she almost shuts down, because she feels she isn’t good enough or isn’t pretty, and she won’t listen to me.”

“Well, we will keep doing our best. I’ve told her how beautiful and talented she is like hundreds of times, but she won’t listen to me either. Maybe we need to have someone outside the club come and do a review? Do we have any contacts? A cultural liaison at the newspaper?”

“Actually that reminds me—it’s something else I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. Did Poppy ever tell you about her college degree?”

“No, I don’t believe so. She’s always just talked about her music and performance background up until now.”

“Well, her degree is in literature and arts. And you know what she does during the day when she’s not here practicing? She has been applying at any newspaper, magazine, and publishing office in the city, trying to find a full time job. She wants to be a writer, and told me, and I quote, that she’s a ‘voracious reader.’ But each place she's applied to, called, or visited has refused her outright, won’t even interview her, because she's a woman and because she’s a novice, just out of college.”

“I never knew that. Wow, beautiful _and_ smart! So she doesn’t know anything about my work, then?”

“Nope. And I did not tell her anything, especially not “The Secret Garden” magazine. Anyways, I also think you should know—she views her work at the club as temporary until she finds her dream job as a writer.”

“Wow. I had no idea. Now I’m going to have to put on my thinking cap. Maybe I can help her out, I mean she might make a great assistant, as an editor, or even a ghostwriter. I wonder if she’s read any of my work.”

“You won’t know unless you ask. But maybe after her debut, you can talk to her about it. I mean she is running all over the place--here for rehearsals, all over the city to apply for jobs, and the club, of course, so maybe a job offer wouldn’t be out of the question?”

_Indeed it may be just the ticket._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So many new faces at the Garden, so many new roles.

Yadori is a new kid in Outfit security, one assigned to Tora. He often takes the place of Damien whenever necessary. But Tora can’t stand the kid—he’s a sketchy character who often leers at Poppy, is a general lay about, and is just plain obnoxious.

_F*cking unpleasant little shit._

But things have had to shift a bit since so many other things have been changing over the past several weeks.

Gil, general ass that he is, just stopped showing up one night, so Erdene had to step into his role a few times. Finally, after a few more nights of unexplained absences, she and Quincey put Jacob in charge as manager, and she has become a hostess. This makes Jacob a bit happier, as he’ll make a little more money. Gil has yet to reappear, and Candy is probably the only one who complains he’s not around.

Brian is the second bartender they hired to help Gyu on the weekends. He’s enough of a nice guy. He’s awfully quiet, but has aspirations to join the Outfit. Gyu gives Tora periodic reports on him, but he’s young and has a lot to learn.

He’s also learned that Erdene and Quincey have something special planned for the club, but he has no idea what it might be nor have they shared anything with him, at least so far.

_Not that I could give a shit._

The only part of being there that matters, really, is all packaged in a short curvy little brunette circulating the floor.

He’s more calm when she’s there, that’s all he knows. Little does she know how much she fills his nights, at least when he’s ready for sleep but can’t get her out of his mind. Sometimes the dreams he has about her are quite explicit. He wonders if he’ll ever get a chance with her, for real. So he does everything in his power to get close to her, even if it is walking past her or keeping her within his line of sight. He takes what he can get.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

At long last, the time has come for Poppy’s debut. William, who still won’t acknowledge he's dating Quincey, has been invited. They’ve been in touch with a few media contacts who may or may not show up, and some of the higher ups in the Outfit were notified somehow, including Vincent.

Poppylan continues to feel nervous, but Erdene manages to keep her calm, at least calm enough.

“It’s okay, Pops. Breathe. It will be fine.”

“Oh Erdene, I think I’m going to puke. For once, I think suiting up as a cig girl will be a welcome distraction!”

“Well, thankfully that’s only for a couple hours, then we’ll get your dress and makeup on. Once Candy is done, it’s front and center on stage for you!”

Poppy groans at this, but Erdene can’t help but laugh at her. Poppy walks back to the costume room to get suited up, while Erdene checks the tables before the gates open.

To the naked eye, it’s just the start to a normal Friday night at The Secret Garden.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora is surprised at some of the people who are starting to show up. When Vincent and Martin appear, he’s downright stunned.

_They both f*cking **hate** this place. What gives?_

Next, Poppy’s friend William suddenly appears, and Tora is not happy to see him.

_What the f*ck is **he** doing here?_

Even though he’s been told William is gay multiple times, he is still feels incredibly jealous of him—William is closer to her than he’d like. Besides, _he_ wants to be that close to her, if not completely...intimate.

_Whoa, get that f*cking thought outta ya head. Ya got work to do._

Before long, the place is completely packed, and the cig girls are busier than usual. But as happens every Friday, it’s showtime.

_And that’s my cue--time for me to vanish._

He leaves the floor, making sure Damien and Yadori watch Quincey. He goes to his hiding spot—the water closet and the adjacent hallway. Oddly enough, though, he hasn’t seen Poppy on the floor for a while, and didn’t get a chance to ask Gyu if he’d seen her either.

_Wonder where she is? I’ll look for her after Candy’s act. I certainly don’t want to be in that woman’s radar if I can all help it. Damn if I don’t hate f*ckin’ Fridays._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Candy and Poppy are both in the costume room with Erdene, and Candy is not happy at all. First Gil disappears without contacting her, and then Erdene tells Candy she is going to share her stage time with Poppylan. But she has to deal with it. Erdene told her she should be thankful she hasn’t already been outright fired.

She watches the whole time Erdene works with Poppy, getting her into the dress, garter belt, and stockings, adding very minimal makeup, setting the complicated chignon hairdo, then putting on some simple amber-colored earrings.

 _Tiger eyes, I think the gem is called? Anyways, Poppy is a nice enough girl, of course, but she couldn’t possibly be viewed as more attractive than me_.

She has to admit the last touch, a single red hibiscus behind her left ear, is really nice.

_But I mean, seriously? **I** am their Friday night attraction. ME! How dare they mess with what’s been working all this time? I hope Poppy is terrible, then I can tell them—“I TOLD YOU SO!”_

Erdene says something to her, to get her attraction, but Candy is not listening.

“What?”

“Time for you to get on stage, Candy. Tout suite. Get ya skates on. OUT.”

“Right.”

Candy turns and walks out, rolling her eyes at Erdene, and goes to the floor to get on stage.

As soon as Candy is gone, Erdene makes an effort to calm down Poppy.

“Don’t let that awful woman get to you. She has to go, I swear. I mean, I don’t know why Quincey didn’t fire her after Gil disappeared, but he has his reasons. But, you? You, my dear, look simply _marvelous_!”

“Thank you, Dene. I’m getting kind of...excited? I really do wish I could get a photographic portrait of me in this get up. And I think Quincey’s been too distracted practicing with you and me to care about _her._ ”

Poppy smiles and then snorts, and Erdene can’t help but smile back.

_Whenever it appears, her joy is precious, just sooo adorable! And just **wait** til Tora sees her._

“OK, as soon as Candy is done with her set, she’ll come back in here, and that’ll be your cue to go out. Quincey will join you on stage, and make a quick announcement before you start. He’ll do the intros, interludes, and so forth on piano, just as we rehearsed. It will probably go very fast. And just so you know, he’s not going to say your name, at least not at first, maybe not at all. He hasn't been able to decide. He’s wanted to keep you hush-hush until the last minute.”

Poppy nods her head yes. She’s just too anxious to care.

“I’m going to go back out and check on the floor. Jacob is filling in tonight as host, so I can stay back here with you, and I should be back in, I don’t know, five minutes?”

“See you then, Dene!”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

_Finally, that dame is done. F*ck, she’s awful._

He’s smoked more cigarettes than usual tonight, likely because he hasn’t laid eyes on Poppy. The sooner he can get out there and see her, find her, the better.

Finally, Candy walks back toward the costume room, so he can stop hiding. Then he comes out, sits at the bar, takes his usual Friday night shot of bourbon, when he sees a flicker of black and gold walk past him, but he doesn’t look up. He also doesn’t see a woman wearing a golden & black sparkling dress walk up to the stage.

She’s now up on stage, but not under the spotlight yet. He also doesn’t notice Quincey get up on stage then go up to the microphone.

“Good evening, everyone. Thank you for joining us here tonight at The Secret Garden."

The floor responds with hoots and hollers.

_Bunch of wild f*ckers tonight._

“And tonight, we have a special surprise for you. Without further ado… enjoy!”

He walks back onto stage right, and sits down in front of the upright piano there.

As Erdene mentioned to Poppy, he hasn’t introduced her by name. He begins to play an intro to a slow jazz tune.

_What the f*ck is all this? Whatever, I just want to find her._

He’s trying not to be obvious in his search, so he’s not really watching the stage either, but scanning the crowd. It's sort of his normal routine anyways. But every time he sees William, he makes a slight sneer at the sight of him.

A woman starts singing, and the singing is...lovely, _heavenly_.

_That is most definitely **not** Candy._

It’s then when Gyu clears his throat, and Tora looks over at him. Gyu looks him right in eyes, and nudging him to look towards the stage. It's then he sees her--a gorgeous brunette woman with a big red flower in her hair, wearing a sparkling golden and black beaded dress, singing.

It’s Poppylan, like an angel fallen to earth.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy’s performance is a great success, and Tiger boy is reeaalllyyy happy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **The Journey**
>
>> One day you finally knew  
> what you had to do, and began,  
> though the voices around you  
> kept shouting  
> their bad advice--  
> though the whole house  
> began to tremble  
> and you felt the old tug  
> at your ankles.  
> "Mend my life!"  
> each voice cried.  
> But you didn't stop.  
> You knew what you had to do,  
> though the wind pried  
> with its stiff fingers  
> at the very foundations,  
> though their melancholy  
> was terrible.  
> It was already late  
> enough, and a wild night,  
> and the road full of fallen  
> branches and stones.  
> But little by little,  
> as you left their voices behind,  
> the stars began to burn  
> through the sheets of clouds,  
> and there was a new voice  
> which you slowly  
> recognized as your own,  
> that kept you company  
> as you strode deeper and deeper  
> into the world,  
> determined to do  
> the only thing you could do--  
> determined to save  
> the only life you could save.  
> ~Mary Oliver

As she walks out of the costume room and onto the floor, Poppy feels soooo nervous, but once she climbs onto the stage, she actually starts to feel completely comfortable. She’s channeling all those performances from her past. She always enjoyed doing those, being front and center. Both Erdene and Quincey have been listening to her practice for the past two weeks, telling her how good she is, but now? Now she can finally admit that she _feels_ it, that she _is_ talented. It’s beyond description, the feeling of being on that stage, in the spotlight again, and Poppy understands now that she truly has a gift.

Quincey begins by playing the brief interlude, and then she starts singing her first song—“Oh, Lady be Good.” 

_Gotta love the Gershwins._

She had already explained to Erdene, Quincey _and_ William why she chose this song—how she feels like an emerging “blossom,” how she’s undergoing personal growth, and she is literally in the big city (but of course she’s not alone), so through the song, she’s asking Lady Luck to be _good_ to her and help her out. She is a bit cheeky, modifying the lyrics, but that’s just Poppy for you!

> **Oh, Lady be Good**
> 
> Listen to my tale of woe,  
> It's terribly sad but true,  
> All dressed up, no place to go  
> This ev'ning I'm awf'ly blue.  
> I must win some handsome guy  
> Can't go on like this,  
> I will blossom out I know,  
> With somebody just like you. So…
> 
> Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good  
> Oh, lady, be good to me  
> I am so awf'ly misunderstood  
> So lady, be good to me
> 
> Oh, please have some pity  
> I'm all alone in this big city
> 
> I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,  
> So lady be good to me.
> 
> Oh, please have some pity}  
> I'm all alone in this big city
> 
> I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,  
> So lady be good to me.  
> Oh lady be good to me.

She receives a standing ovation, with huge applause, whistles and praise. She. Is. A. Hit. 

“Thank you,” she says quietly into the microphone.

She can’t help but feel so much more than energized and excited at this reception. She lets them continue to cheer for another minute or so, then nods back to Quincey, so he can swap sheet music, and prepare for the next song. 

He knows it by heart, of course, but still, gotta give him the benefit of the doubt, to pace things a little. Her part of the show is a bit brief, only two songs, but what the show lacks in quantity, it more than makes up in quality.

She quickly wipes her sweaty brow and mouth with a handkerchief borrowed from Erdene. Earlier she opened her dresser drawer to grab her own, but it is curiously missing.

The next song is another Gershwin composition, “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Poppy won’t admit to herself that she’s looking for a man, even though she recently professed she wasn’t looking for romance, but…

_Maybe I am? Maybe I’m seeking a certain...someone? I know he’s out there tonight. He’s always there, and I definitely take comfort in **that**. Deep breaths, Poppylan, deep breaths. _

Anyways, he wants _him_ to take care of her and treat her with respect, but it’s also about her friends being there for her, too. Right up until showtime, she couldn’t even admit she knew _who_ she’s seeking, even if it might be practically impossible. She hadn’t even talked to Erdene about him, not yet. Before she begins the next song, her eyes scan the audience, simply stunned at how full the club is tonight. 

And she can’t but help but look right at _him_. And he and his beautiful eyes are gazing right back at her. It may seem to some people that he’s unmoved or doesn’t care, but she’s been observing him for several weeks now, learning his careful but subtle expressions, and how he's been watching her. She can most definitely see the look on his face—he is very much paying attention to her. She can only hope he feels the same way she does, and the expression he has on his face encourages her.

_Whew, that face of his makes my heart jump a little, and hey, a girl’s gotta have dreams, right? This is for you, handsome… here we go!_

> **Someone to Watch Over Me**
> 
> There's an old saying, says that love is blind  
> Still we're often told, "seek and ye shall find"  
> So I'm going to seek a certain someone I have in mind
> 
> Looking everywhere, have I found him yet  
> He's the big affair I cannot forget  
> Only man I might think of with regret
> 
> I'd like to add his initial to my monogram  
> Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?
> 
> There's a somebody I'm longin' to see  
> I hope that he, turns out to be  
> Someone who'll watch over me
> 
> I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood  
> I know I could, always be good  
> To one who'll watch over me
> 
> Although he may not be the man some  
> Women think of as winsome  
> To my heart he’ll carry the key
> 
> Won't you tell him please to put on some speed  
> Follow my lead, oh, how I need  
> Someone to watch over me
> 
> Won't you tell him please to put on some speed  
> Follow my lead, oh, how I need  
> Someone to watch over me

Finishing the last notes of the tune, she observes how much the audience loves her, I mean _really_ loves her. People again get on their feet, whistling, cheering, and clapping. She glances over to see that Tora hasn’t moved nor has he even seemed to blink, but that look, still on his face, watching her, tells her all she needs to know. As a result, she suddenly feels incredibly nervous and her palms are suddenly all sweaty. But her debut is more successful than she thought possible.

Quincey comes out from behind his perch at the piano. Walking up next to her at the mike, he hands her a big bouquet of yellow roses, and puts his arm over her shoulder. 

“Thank you, everyone. I hope you enjoyed our new featured act. She’ll be performing every Friday night, so we hope you join us again here at The Secret Garden.” 

Holding onto the bouquet, she bows her head a few times, with a big smile on her face, then Quincey gives her a kiss and hug.

“Oh, congrats, honey! That was, _you_ were phenomenal!”

“Thank you for the chance, Quince. Think I’m a hit?

Quincey just laughs at her.

“Yeah, I really think so, Pops.”

She smiles back at him, and he guides her off the stage and back to his table. 

As soon as they sit down, William comes right up to congratulate her, too. 

“WOW, Poppy Wop! You were transcendent! Ethereal. Angelic and...I am _so_ jealous!”

Poppy gets up out of her seat, and gives him a big hug. 

“Thanks so much, Willy Billy. Your support means so much to me! And will I see you tomorrow?  
  
“Of course! But I do have to run.”

He gives Quincey a quick glance, barely acknowledging him, and he leaves.

 _What was_ **_that_** _? I mean, what is up with those two? I’ll have to ask Quincey later._

Just then, Gyu comes waltzing up with a bucket of champagne and glasses to toast her big success, a huge smile on his face.

“Congratulations, Poppylan! Compliments of Mr. Balthuman.”

“Thank you, Gyu!”

Quincey wastes no time pouring out some bubbly into the two flutes, handing her one.

“Cheers!” 

_Wait,_ **_who_** _?_

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 _Hol-y_ **_f*ck!_ **

_BADUMP. BADUMP. BADUMP. BADUMP. BADUMP. BADUMP._

His heart is thumping _hard_. Her singing voice is f*cking _divine_ —and it feels like she’s singing directly to _him_. Somehow he manages to keep a straight face, but only just barely. _Just._ He’s always been able to school his expressions to be as flat and inexpressive as possible, but he has to admit, right now, he may have let some of his excitement flare a bit.

_And f*ck, did she just look at me?? I think she did._

_BADUMP. BADUMP. BADUMP. BADUMP. BADUMP. BADUMP._

That thrilled him more than he could admit. He didn’t think she could be any more beautiful either, more perfect, but she is f*cking ravishing, _exquisite_ in that dress. And the flower? Well, at this point, he’s already a simpering mess, but he has to admit it’s a nice f*cking touch. He knows he can’t possibly get up and move, do anything, go _anywhere,_ in his current state. He’ll need to calm down a bit first, _all_ of him. He continues to listen, and the second song is even more meaningful than the first.

_F*ck. This woman..._

Damien walks right up to him then, and starts talking to him, but Tora’s in a bit of daze, listening to her, so he doesn't really hear him. 

_I’m trying to listen to_ ** _her_** _, ya f*cking pain in the ass. Now I_ _gotta f*ckin focus on the job? Whew, not gonna be easy though._

“Ha?” 

“I said, I gotta go home early. Yadori offered to walk her home tonight.”

He has no idea why Damien would need to leave early, but he sort of doesn't care. But _not_ Yadori, not tonight.

“Absolutely _not_. I’ll do it.”

“You sure?”

“Ya, and tell him he’s gotta, you _all_ gotta come into the gym on Monday morning for mandatory training. We also need to talk more about you _leaving early_.”

Damien groans a bit.

“OK, Big Bro. I’ll spread the word. And I can explain, honestly I can, but I gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Tora just nods to him, a bit dismissively.

 _Irritating shit. And f*ck if I’m let_ ** _anyone_** **_else_** _near her tonight._

Yadori has been just a bit too lecherous whenever he’s around her, and Tora is feeling particularly possessive at the moment, not that he has any right to be. I mean, it’s not like he’s been following her home nearly every night for days, _weeks_ , for no reason at all. But now, it will be the first time he’ll actually be doing it, for real, at least that she'll know about.

_No more sneakin’ around. About time, sweetheart… I hope I don’t f*ck it up._

She finishes the song, and the floor is all frenzied again. Quincey hands her a bouquet of yellow roses, and then makes an announcement, one that is quite surprising.

_She’s going to be a regular act on Fridays? F*ck yes!_

He continues to sit there, willing his mind and body to relax, taking in a big breath of air, then slowly breathing it out. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he sees her sit down with Quincey in the corner. He knows he’ll have to make his way back over there soon, but he is more than a little stimulated, so he’ll have to wait and cool off just a little bit longer. Then he sees William walk up to her, talking animatedly, and she gets up to hug him.

He almost growls at this, but manages to stay quiet, swallowing his disapproval.

_Down, boy, down. She is not a piece of meat. Did ya listen to the song she just sang to ya, for f*ck sake?_

Blessedly, William does not stay long, and curiously enough, he doesn't even speak to Quincey. After this, Gyu runs over to the table with a champagne bucket and glasses. Tora hadn’t noticed Vincent walk up behind him moments before to talk with Gyu, ordering the bucket to be delivered to the table on his behalf. 

He watches as Poppy and Quincey toast each other and take big gulps. Even the sight of _that_ makes him insanely jealous.

But now he’s thinking these recent developments have more than one benefit—seeing her like this every Friday will be _heaven_. And he might not have to hide on Friday nights at the Garden, not anymore. Things are most definitely looking up. 

_Thank f*ck for that!_

Suddenly, a hand descends on his left shoulder, clamping down, completely startling him out of his reverie. It takes every ounce of his strength not to react with instinct, not to twist this person’s wrist and flip them over onto the floor.

_The f*ck—_

He hears Vincent’s voice then, realizing how lucky he is he could keep himself in check.

“Well, Tora, ma boy, I think Quinceton has finally found a winner, don’t you think? I’ll talk to you next week to get an update. Good night.”

In his current state, all Tora can do is nod.

 _Wait,_ **_what?_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Lady be Good!" was written in 1924 by George and Ira Gershwin for the Broadway show, Lady, Be Good, the lyrics included above have Poppy’s minor modifications. Listen to Ella Fitzgerald sing Oh, Lady Be Good - [https://youtu.be/21P0FX1vGmU](%E2%80%9C) (doesn't include Poppy's modifications)
> 
> "Someone to Watch Over Me," was written in 1926 by George and Ira Gershwin for the musical “Oh, Kay!”, the lyrics included above have Poppy’s minor modifications. Listen to Ella Fitzgerald - Someone to Watch Over Me - https://youtu.be/gDhF-PsDuCw (doesn't include Poppy's modifications)


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Double the fun tonight, my lusty friends. An extra looonnnggg chapter. Poppy continues to reap the compliments she sows after her singing, including a rare smile from a certain handsome dark haired man. She meets Vincent Balthuman, so her introduction to the Outfit looms closer than ever. Her night is topped off with a personal escort home from the Tiger himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “Don’t be afraid. There are exquisite things in store for you. This is merely the beginning.”  
> ~Oscar Wilde

Poppy takes another big gulp of champagne, swallowing it down. 

_Mr. Balthuman? Is he related to him?_

Even though it briefly became awkward when William appeared, Quincey’s mood continues to be completely infectious, joyful even. She wants to ask Quincey who Mr. Balthuman might be when a tall white-blond haired man walks up to the table. He’s much older, and has two large dark men following closely behind him. 

_Oh, now I can see the resemblance._

“Quinceton.”

Quincey sobers immediately, looking up at him. Poppy is startled at the rapid shift in his demeanor.

“Father.”

“Aren’t you going to introduce me, son?”

“Certainly. Father. This is Miss Poppylan Wilkes. She recently started working for me here at the Garden. And as you just witnessed, she’s our new feature attraction.”

Ever polite, Poppylan holds out her hand to greet him, preparing to shake his hand.

“Poppylan, this is Mr. Vincent Balthuman. _My father.”_

“Charmed, my dear,” he responds, taking her outstretched hand, but he doesn’t shake it, he kisses it.

Poppy feels less than charmed—much less—to meet him. His gaze is cold, unfeeling, and almost hostile. Her skins crawls as his lips touch the back of her hand.

 _/ Whoa, Quincey, your father is_ **_not_ ** _a nice man. And ewww._

“Hello, Mr. Balthuman, sir. Very nice to meet you.”

“Yes, yes. And I’d say she's a suitable match for once. You must bring her to the house for dinner next week. _I insist_.”

 _Wait,_ **_where_** _?_

He says this all to Quincey, but he’s looking directly at Poppy.

“Yes, sir. And thank you for coming tonight. It means a lot to me.”

Vincent doesn’t say anything, and moves his gaze, just staring at Quincey.

_Cold ass motherf*cker. Don’t know why you came, but you’re f*cking ruining my night._

“Next week. Be there, and bring _her._ ”

Then he and his men leave.

Poppy has no idea what really happened. Quincey looks shaken and is pale, even for him.

“What the _hell_ was that about?” She whispers this tersely to him.

Sighing loudly, Quincey realizes he’ll have to explain, at least enough to keep Poppy quiet, until they can talk more privately.

“How do I explain this, Pops. I guess the best thing to do is be as blunt as possible.”

 _Oh snap, this is_ **_not_ ** _gonna be good is it, Pops._

“My father has been quite _insistent_ that I ‘settle down,’ join the ranks, and become the true heir of the family.”

Poppy is not really alarmed at this information, as Erdene already explained all of this to her weeks ago, but there are more important questions.

“But what does that have to do with _me_ , Quince?”

He groans, wiping both hands up and down his face. He fills his champagne flute again, to the brim, then rapidly gulps it down. He made careful reference to the Outfit making it as vague as he can make it, but the truth of it _is_ stark, at least to him.

“Well, he, ah, seems to think you’d be...good...for...me.”

Poppy is simply confused, as Quincey is queer—and just a friend. 

_I don’t even really know you that well, Quincey._

“But, no offense, Q, I’m not your type. And you’re not mine.”

 _Not when my type is just across the room, for fudge sake. And_ **_him_** _? He is definitely someone I want to know better, much much better._

She sneaks a peek in Tora's direction, still sitting by the bar, and he does not look amused. She’s pretty sure he just watched that entire interaction, dreadful as it was.

_Not happy are you. You and me both, handsome._

Quincey laughs bitterly. 

“He has this notion that my predilections are just a distraction. He’s _allowing_ me to pursue my follies—relationships, the club, and avoiding the...family business. He hasn’t been interested in anyone like this since Erden, and that was years ago. I don’t know how he even _knew_ about your performance or why he even came tonight. I mean the man hates this place, and I prefer he stays away.”

“So you’re saying your father wants you to marry me.”

“Yes. Well, that may be an understatement. He can be quite…obdurate.”

“Huh. Even though you and William are dating.”

“Well, that hasn’t been working out so well. But that’s besides the point. I mean this is _THE_ Vincent Balthuman.”

 _Shit, I may have said too much_.

“Quincey, William is such a lovely man, but let’s not talk about that now. What are you going to do about this? I mean, I… I…”

 _I’m interested in someone else, I mean how more explicit can_ **_that_ ** _be? But then again, Quincey doesn’t really know. He can't read your mind, Poppylan._

“I know, I know. We may have to figure out something. But now that he’s met you, seen you with _me_ , he is _not_ going to forget about you. First things first, you’ll have to come to the mansion for dinner. There’s no getting out of it.”

 _Mansion?_

“You know, actually, maybe we should talk about this more. I mean it may actually make sense to tell everyone, especially _him_ , that you’re my fiancée. It would make a good cover, for obvious reasons.”

 _Wait,_ **_why?_ **

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

After almost throwing Vincent Balthuman across the room, Tora is doing his best to calm himself down. 

_F*ck, that was a close call_. _Too close._

And what he just said to him?

 _What the f*ck is_ **_that_ ** _about?_

But then he notices Vincent and his bodyguards walk over to their table. 

_Oh, f*ck no._

He observes Quincey’s discomfort at Vincent’s approach, and then bristles at Vincent meeting her and kissing her hand. Even from where he’s sitting, he can tell she has a bit of a disgusted look on her face. His jealousy at this contact is tempered by his distress.

 _Now **he’s** gonna be watching _ _her_ _? I am gonna f*cking kill Quinceton for this. Why the f*ck is he even here? How did he even know about the show? I mean, I didn’t even know about it, and I know a lot of things, too many things._

There is an exchange of some kind, and seeing the look on their faces, it is not a good one. He has no idea what Vincent just told them, but it clearly upset her. 

He lights a cigarette, continuing to watch them. Thankfully, Vincent and his men have already left, but they are having a long conversation about something. He’s had enough. 

_Time to get back to work, and to find out what the f*ck just happened._

He finishes his cigarette, and slowly walks over towards them. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“Oh, we are so going to talk more about _that_ , Quincey. But now? Now I need to get this dress off, and get back out on the floor.”

“Nonsense. You have the rest of the night off, Poppylan. I am the boss, you know. In fact, I’d say your cig girl days are pretty much over.”

She’s relieved at having the rest of the night off, since she really did not want the added attention, especially after singing tonight. There are certain men she wants to avoid here, _if_ she can.

“That’s very kind of you to say, but I still need the money I earn from the cig girl work. But I do appreciate getting the rest of the night off. I still need to change. I’ll be back soon, and we _will_ chat more about all of this, Quincey.”

She gets up out of her seat, and walks off towards the costume room. She looks up to see Tora is walking over towards the table, and makes eye contact with him on her way walking past him. She can’t help but smile at him, and lo and behold, he actually smiles back at her.

BADUMP. 

_Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Quincey looks up to see Tora approaching him, and if looks could kill… he’d be dead already.

Tora has that look, _that_ look on his face.

_Didn’t I just see him smile at her? Sly dog..._

“Talk.”

“I didn't know he’d come, I swear. I found out at the last minute. Nothing I could do about it. But someone is a snitch.”

“And now _she’s_ on his watch list? F*ck, Quincey. And what did he say to you?”

Quincey knows Tora will be even more upset once he learns what Vincent wants. 

“C’mon Quinceton, _spill it!”_

_I guess I can’t avoid it. Just give it to him straight._

“What he always wants when he sees me with a woman, Tora. And Poppylan happens to be one of the best ones he’s met, ever, especially one who just so happens to be acquainted with me. That only makes the whole situation worse. He still has this sick idea that I’m going to be his _successor_ in every sense. What a f*cking joke.”

 _Oh_ **_hell_ ** _no. This is a f*cking nightmare._

“And if I’m not careful, Poppy will pay the price. Erdene is the only one who’s ever managed to survive him. How she’s still my friend, I don’t know.”

 _That’s because from the moment ya met her, Erdene_ **_always_ ** _took care of herself. Always has, always will._

“So what do you suggest then, Quince?”

“Well, I actually thought that she _should_ pose as my fiancée, to get him off my back.”

Tora absolutely _hates_ this idea, for obvious reasons. _F*ck no, Quincess._

“All due respect, Quince, but too many people in the club already know about ya being a fairy. If someone is gonna snitch to him, like they did about your _surprise_ tonight, they’re gonna snitch about _her_ and anything else that happens here. Besides, ya father already knows, too.”

“True.”

“Any other bright ideas?”

“Well, Erdene suggested something the other day when we started planning the show, but you would have to be okay with it, of course. I didn’t think it could happen, but since _he_ showed up tonight, I’m thinking Erdene’s right. I may have to consider it.”

“What?”

“Now it is a stretch, and this may take you away from the club periodically, and we’d have to be careful under the watch of all these Outfit goons. I mean, you are assigned to me by Father. And it’s unconventional, but then again, look at _me_.”

Quincey guffaws a bit, clearly nervous.

_F*ck--out with it, man!_

_“QUINCETON…”_

“What if I assign you to...watch her? As her personal bodyguard?”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy runs back into the costume room with enthusiasm. 

_I can’t believe he actually_ **_smiled_ ** _at me. That man **never** smiles! Almost made me forget all that other garbage. _

Within moments, Erdene comes bounding in.

“POPPY!!! Oh, Poppy, you were fantastic! I am sooo proud of you! What did I tell you!”

Erdene runs up to hug her tightly, lifting her up, and twirling her around.

Poppy laughs at the excitement, as she’s excited too, mostly for an entirely different reason.

“I know! It went better than I expected! Anyways, I came back to take the dress off. I’ll need to wear it again, at least until I can find some other things to wear. I don't suppose you have anything hidden back here do you? Or in that massive room you call a closet at your manor?”

Erdene smiles, “Oh there might be. Anyways, I’ll talk to Quincey. Maybe more shopping is in order? You know how much I love to shop!”

_Yes, I do know, Erdene. We’ve shopped more times since I arrived in the city than I did all last year in Moonbright!_

“Well, it’ll be one thing to talk to him about, _that’s_ for sure.”

Erdene sobered up immediately. She watched Vincent approach their table, wincing the whole time. She wasn’t going anywhere near _that_ bastard.

“Oh, right. So you met the infamous Mr. Vincent Balthuman.” 

“Yes. And you wouldn’t believe what he said, wants me to _do._ ”

“Actually, I have a good idea, Pops. I really do. He thinks you should marry Quincey, right?”

At first Poppy is surprised Erdene guessed correctly, but then remembered that conversation, learning how she and Quicney met.

“You had to deal with that too, didn’t you.”

Erdene didn’t say anything. Poppy could tell by the look on her face that is exactly what happened.

“How did you--”

“Obstinance. And a fake fiancée of my own. Long story, one I don’t want to tell.”

“Anyways, Quincey gave me the rest of the night off, so I can relax, or maybe I’ll even go home early.”

“Good! You did so well, you deserve a break. We can talk more tomorrow, and let’s plan on a real shopping excursion, maybe we’ll go as far as, oh, I don’t know...Osaka? Or Yokohama?”

_What?!?_

“Isn’t that a bit far away for shopping, Erdene?”

“Ah, you’re worth it, Pops. Trust me. Quincey has deep pockets, believe me. He can afford it.”

“Well, let’s see how _other_ things unfold first, Erdene. There are clearly going to be repercussions of this _man_ showing up, whoever he is, certainly based on how upset he made Quincey.”

 _That’s right. Poppylan has no idea who Vincent really is, who Quincey is, or even Tora. She has absolutely no idea she is in the middle of Outfit territory. Does she even_ **_know_ ** _about the Outfit? I think she needs to know sooner rather than later what all of it really means for her, what it_ **_will_ ** _mean for her. Her life will now be in danger now that Vincent Balthuman has noticed her. But still her tenacity and grit are going to help in all of this, I can tell._

“Erdene, can you get the stays on the back for me? I can’t reach them.”

She helps Poppy out of the dress, wondering what to do next.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 _Her_ **_personal_ ** _bodyguard? Are ya reading my mind? I mean, f*ck,_ **_yes_** _._

But he’s not gonna to volunteer _that_ information to Quincey, at least not right away. He already wants to take care of her _personally_ feeling more than a bit aroused at the whole idea of being that close to her, all the time.

“Now we have to talk to her about this, too, so don’t make any decisions yet.”

Rather than expose any inner thoughts to him, he just stays quiet. He doesn’t trust himself anyways.

“We’ll all talk to her more about, outside of the Garden, where there are no ears listening in, if you get my drift.”

Tora simply nods. 

Just then, Poppy and Erdene walk back out of the costume room, both of them laughing and smiling. Poppy took her lovely dress off, but f*ck, _anything_ she wears is lovely. 

Poppy walks over to talk to Gyu at the bar, getting a drink of some kind. He serves her, and she grabs her drink. She and Erdene make their way back to the table.

It’s nearly closing time, so some people are starting to leave. One or two people stop by the table to compliment Poppy, including Claude. Poppy won't even look him in the eye, and Tora gives him a dirty look anyways, so he doesn’t linger. They really don’t have a chance to talk about anything of substance for the rest of the night. Quincey then notices that Damien is not there.

“Oh, where’s Damien? Doesn’t he usually walk Poppylan home?”  
  
“Had to leave. I’ll walk her home tonight. Yadori will take ya home, Quince.”

_And every night as far as I’m concerned._

When Tora says this, Poppy's heart leaps at this news. 

“Thank you, Tora.”

 _Oh, yes, please, thank you_ **_very_ ** _much._

She looks at him and gives him her warm smile. It’s _her_ smile, the one that makes his day, and warms his blood.

Erdene excuses herself, leaving to help Gyu, Brian, Jacob, and all the other cig girls close up for the night. 

Quincey leaves shortly after with Yadori, who gives Tora a resentful look as they walk away.

_F*cking asshat. I’ve had about enough out of ya._

Tora gives him his death stare, which has an immediate effect. Yadori practically shits his pants at _that_ look.

“I’m ready to go, Tora.”

Poppy’s sweet voice gets his attention. He looks down at her beautiful face. He still can’t believe his luck--he gets the honor of walking her home, for real. 

“After you.”

He escorts her to the bottom of the stairs, and they ascend them, walking right next to each other, his hand on her back. After weeks of keeping his distance, he did it out of instinct, taking her protection very seriously. 

_Seems to me she doesn’t mind it one bit. F*ck yes._

As they emerge out onto the street, all he can think about is how he wants the time spent walking those five blocks to last as long as possible.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

At first, they are both quiet as they slowly walk down the sidewalk. 

She breaks the silence first.

“Where’s Damien tonight?”

“Don’t know. Had to leave early. S’ all I know.”

“And you volunteered to walk with me instead? Don’t you have more important things to do? I could have walked home by myself, you know.”

He didn’t know how to respond to _that_.

 _Something more important than being with_ **_you_** _? I don’t think so sweetheart._

“Not safe. Ya shouldn’t walk in this neighborhood so late at night by yaself. And, no, I don’t have anything more important to do. Not at all.”

Now it’s _her_ turn to not respond.

 _Wow. Wow._

Before long, though, despite how slowly they walk, they arrive at the boarding house door.

“You do know Quincey’s my brother, right?”

Poppy looks up at his statement, and smiles at him.

“Of course.”

“A lot of people seem to think, ya know, that we…”

Poppy laughs a bit at him. 

“I know you're his bodyguard, Tora.”

 _Whew. Thank f*ck. The queer rumors serve a purpose, sometimes, but I don’t want her to think that way, I mean...definitely don’t want_ **_her_** _to think that._

“Well, then, goodnight. Thank you again, Tora.”

She turns to walk into her building, but she manages to trip over a crack in the sidewalk.

On instinct, he reaches out to catch her, and holds her close. Immediately his heartbeat picks up at her close proximity. Her face is mere inches away, and as usual she smells delectable.

As he catches her, _she_ just can’t help herself. She looks up, right into his eyes, mesmerized. And he is staring right back at her. 

_BADUMP. BADUMP. BADUMP._

She notices a strand or two of hair poking him in his left eye. She reaches up and pulls the hairs off of his face, tucks them behind his ear, then lightly caresses the side of his face as she moves her hand away. 

As he feels her fingers skim his face, he feels a jolt all the way to his cock at such intimate contact. How he desperately always wants her to touch him, in any way. But this? This is beyond description.

**_F*CK._ **

He’s surprised at her touch, and freezes, heart continuing to pound away, instantly aroused and erect. He hopes he isn’t panting, or is he?

 _Can she tell I got wood, for f*ck sake?_ He almost groans.

At first Poppy thinks he’s upset because of how he stills himself completely, not realizing how alert he actually is, breathing heavily and, well, his arousal is pretty apparent, at least to him. He makes a weird noise, too.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean… You had those hairs in your eye and it looked uncomfortable.”

He helps her stand up, but he’s still so stimulated he can’t speak. It’s all he can do but stare at her.

_She must know touching me does things, right? Or maybe I don’t want her to know, not yet. F*ck. Do something ya idiot._

But he doesn’t—he just looks at her with open lust in his eyes, at least he hopes she can _see_ it’s lust. 

_F*ck, I want to kiss her right now._

“Right, well, thank you again, Tora. I’m sure I’ll see you at the club tomorrow. Good night.”

He’s still speechless as she turns and walks in the door, leaving him behind.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As soon as she enters her room, she shuts the door and locks herself in. Standing with her back against the closed door, she puts her hand over her mouth and silently screams. 

He didn’t say anything, but the look on his face? He seemed...surprised but yet pleased? He acted...happy? I mean _really_ happy? Maybe excited?

Poppy knows how she feels, and she feels really happy, too. In fact, she decides it’s finally time to break out those magazines again. She’s been meaning to do it for weeks. Her nightly routine needs a bit of a shake up, now that she is much more stirred up at how close they just were moments ago.

_I could fudging lose myself in those eyes. Those amber eyes, drowning pools of lust is what they are! And I would have kissed him if he hadn’t looked so surprised._

She closes her curtain, quickly removes all her clothes, then puts her robe on. Then she goes to her closet, pulling her suitcase down off the shelf. Pulling back the lining, she quickly grabs the stack of lusty magazines. She puts the suitcase back on the shelf.

After shucking her robe and climbing under the covers, she reaches for the magazines, and opens the first one. She’s only a few pages in when she gets the confirmation she’s long been seeking. She is not imagining anything. He is clearly the inspiration for a good portion of _The Secret Garden_. The hair, the eyes, the physique. 

_Whew,_ _the physique... And are these drawings anatomically correct? Dear god, I truly hope so._

Excited at her discovery, she stays up and reads them all cover to cover, and tonight, the nightly ritual is much more intense then usual, between the night she just had, the exchange she just had with Tora _and_ reading the magazines. Her climax happens so quickly and she feels it so intensely, she screams and moans loudly several times, not caring if anyone hears her.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

He watches her walk away from him, and he could kick himself for not saying anything—and for not following her either, like he really _really_ wanted to. But he knows it is much too soon to do that, as much as he wants it—and he wants it _badly_. He’s going to work on that much more fervently, somehow. Becoming her personal bodyguard is just that much more appealing since Quincey brought it up an hour ago, and that can only help his personal cause. He knows she is clearly interested, but he also doesn't want to overstep his bounds, not until she invites him in. He wants to do it _right._

_Doesn’t make it any less exciting or exasperatin’, though._

He moves back across the street, taking his usual spot by the lamppost, to covertly watch her in her room yet again. He pulls out a cigarette and lights the first of many he’ll likely smoke tonight. He can see her shadow moving behind the curtains, and she seems to have spent a bit of time in the closet, doing something. Her light remains on for some time, and then he hears her scream and moan a few times. At first, he’s worried that she might be hurt, and just as he thinks he should check to see if she’s okay, the screams subside. Then the light goes out.

Why the f*ck would she be screaming and… _moaning_? I mean, unless… Could she…? No, but… Could she have been... _touching herself?_

 _Doing_ **_that_ ** _and thinking of me while she did it? F*ck, f*ck, F*CK._

The very idea of her doing _that_ while he’s standing right there across the street from her likely naked in bed makes him practically cream his pants. He has got to get the f*ck outta there. _NOW._

But he stands there for another 10 minutes or so, clearing his mind enough to be able to even walk. He needs to go home to pound the bag for a while tonight, for sure. As the long night draws to a close, he thinks about its ups and downs. Most of all, he can’t help but feel hopeful. He knows he’ll be dreaming about her again tonight, for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a historical note: zippers weren’t actually used widely in clothes until well into the 1930s.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief bit of back story for William and Quincey's relationship, making everyone a little miserable, but for completely different reasons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are still alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them.”  
> ~George Eliot

After the tremendous success of her debut, Poppy knows things will likely start to return to normal at the Garden. The next night is the usual queer cabaret, and Poppy is eager to see William again and discuss her performance with him--and ask him what’s going on with Quincey. Beginning the night wearing her usual cig girl get up, she's helping to set things up on the club floor with Jacob and Erdene when he finally arrives.

“Willy!” 

She runs right up to him, giving him a big hug, smiling at him. 

“Poppy, dear! You were simply fabulous last night. I’m so proud of you!”

He can’t help it, he gives her a big kiss on her cheek. 

“Why don’t you come back while I get dressed, and we can chat more.”

“Ooo, that will be great! I so want to see what it takes you to get ready, compared to me.”

She winks at him with great exaggeration, and he laughs heartily at her.

“You have no idea, Pops. C’mon, let’s go.”

He tucks her arm over his, and they start walking back to the costume room. 

“Dene, I’m going back with William. Is that alright?”

“Sure, Pops, we’re pretty much set up here. If I need you, I know where to find you.”

Dene knows the two are good friends, and besides--she’s never asked Poppy to help with setup--it’s not part of her job, really, but she’s always done it because she’s...Poppy! 

What Poppy couldn’t see is the scathing look Tora gives William from the back corner where he’s sitting with Quincey. It flashes quickly on his face, but quickly disappears. He just can’t help but be jealous of him, how he gets to _touch_ her and be close to her, right there, in front of everyone. Quincy notices this shift in Tora’s demeanor, and just doesn’t get it. He notices the quick look on Tora’s face before he shuts it down.

 _I’m going to have to find out more why he’s so testy and pissed off whenever William is near Poppy. Shit, if_ **_anyone_ ** _should be testy about William, it should be me. The asshole won’t talk to me, and I’m pretty sure dating him is off the table now. Pity. His loss, I guess. Maybe him and Poppy are….?_

Quincey has always felt some real chemistry with William, but suddenly in the past few weeks for whatever reason, he became cold and distant. Quincey wasn’t technically madly in love or anything, he simply hasn’t pushed William further, although he feels vaguely sad. He is never one to dismiss passion and lust, but he has already decided to move on. If William wants to continue any sort of relationship, well? 

_He knows where to find me. After all, my place in the Twilight Aristocracy seems ever assured._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy and William make silly noises at each other and joke all the way back into the costume room. How she missed the fun times they had when they performed with the glee club! But things are different now, and she is curious, so she starts to sober up a little bit.

She stops part way into the room, but he keeps walking toward the corner where his costume is hanging. He begins untying the cover to the elaborate beaded dress.

“Um, William, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, Pops. Ask away.”

“What’s going on with you and Quincey? I mean, I thought… I thought you were together, dating.”

William stills his actions.

“With all due respect, Poppylan, that is none of your business.”

_What?!? He has never treated me so disrespectfully!_

Poppy just gasps. 

“Well… Wh--”

“Poppylan, give it a rest. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready. And you need to get out.”

_OK, something is going on, and he isn’t going to tell me._

“I’m sorry, William, if I upset you. I talk to you later.”

Poppy quickly turns around and walks back out of the room.

As soon as she shuts the door behind her, Williams lets out a big sigh and holds back a big sob. He is a wreck. 

_How can I possibly tell her the truth?_

What Poppy doesn’t know, and will never know as far as he’s concerned, is how Vincent Balthuman threatened his life if he continued his relationship with Quincey. He had always suspected a lot of things about Quincey’s family, but he never in a million years ever guessed that Quincey is _the_ heir to the biggest mafia outfit in the region. The elder Balthuman also offered a sum of money for him to basically go away, but William refused the money but agreed to the estrangement. He isn't even sure _how_ Vincent found out about their relationship. So that is where things stand now. He’s already agreed to Vincent’s demands, even though it's breaking his heart. 

_No one can ever know._

In fact, he has to figure out how to tell Quincey he will no longer be performing at the Garden on Saturdays. Because of the threat from Vincent, it’s now simply become just too painful to be so close to him. Tonight is his last night, and because of the tension with Poppy, it’s already off to a bad start. He’s decided he’s just going to make a clean break and just stop coming. The last two weeks have been delightful--to be with his best friend again, a friend who he would normally confide in about it all, this _mess_ , but he just can’t do it. He hopes he’ll see Poppy again, sooner rather than later, but it certainly won’t be at the Garden. Not ever again.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppylan’s cheerful demeanor all but disappeared after the contentious conversation--or rather lack of one--with William. She managed to be modestly cheerful with her customers, but the moment she wasn’t near them, the distress on her face became evident to everyone else around her. Erdene knows she’ll have to ask at some point, and Quincey is just downright baffled. Tora himself is a bit more grumpy, thinking that f*ck William did something to her. Little did he know.

The night ends, and everyone is shocked when William emerges from the costume room and just walks out. No dialogue, no wave, no look, nothing from him. He just walks up the stairs and out the door. Poppy is surprised of course, but she looks over at Quincey who looks a bit hurt at his dismissive attitude. 

_That is just so sad. But what can I do?_

Soon they are all engrossed in cleaning up, and she watches as Quincey leaves with Damien in tow. He doesn’t seem as sad, but he’s not really cheerful either.

She travels back into the costume room to get ready to leave, and Erdene comes back to check in before she leaves.

“Hey, what’s going on Poppy?”

Poppy is now standing behind the screen at the back of the room, her maid costume already on its hanger. She sighs.

“I think he and WIlliam broke up.”

 _Really? I thought they were hot and heavy? Oh no, Queen, you_ **_really_ ** _liked him._

“Why?”

“Well, I asked William, and he just told me to shut up and go away.”

_Oh no. I hope it’s not because I proposed a threesome...was it?_

“Wow. Well, I was worried that maybe he said something awful to you about your performance, I mean I thought he enjo--”

Poppy laughs at that.

“Of course not. Actually we didn’t even get a chance to talk about it. When I asked him about Quincey, he shut right down. I’m worried about him. And just now, when he walked out? I just don’t know what to do or say.”

“Alright, you know we can talk if you need to. And as long as you are good to go, I’ll bid you goodnight. Tora is out on the floor, waiting for you.”

Erdene leaves, and Poppy finishes getting dressed. She puts on her coat and hat, and walks out onto the floor.

Tora is standing next to the stairs, waiting for her.

 _Gosh, he just keeps getting more and more handsome every day. At least there is_ **_one_ ** _good thing to end this night._

She walks up to him and smiles, but he doesn’t have a pleasant look on his face, so her own smile drops off her face.

_Huh?_

“Ya ready?”

“Of course.”

He starts up the stairs, not waiting for her, looking at her, or even taking her arm. 

_What is up with everyone tonight?_

She starts up the stairs after him, completely baffled at his stand-offish behavior. She meets him at the top of the stairs, looks at him quickly, and then looks away. He still has that grim look on his face. Rather than cause anyone else any more distress, she just starts walking in the direction of the boarding house, not even noticing--or caring--if he is following behind her.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora is just livid at that f*ck William. When Poppy came out of that costume room with that distressed look on her face, it only soured his mood even more. It’s bad enough that he feels so jealous whenever William shows up, but now he upsets her? Did he _try_ something with her? It’s all he can do to keep his shit together.

Despite his surliness, he keeps up his usual Poppylan surveillance, and can’t help but notice how upset she is the whole night, despite how friendly she is with all the goons she’s been serving. What he wouldn’t give to make it all better.

_The f*ck is wrong with me. She’s too good for ya. What could I possibly give her? How could I possibly help?_

Then she walks out of the costume room, walks over to him, and gives him her usual smile.

_F*ck. If she only knew what I do, how I work, who I am. She’d stay 100 feet away. She’d stay away forever._

But he doesn’t want that, not really. Not in a million years. Despite these thoughts, he also knows how much he wants her. It's all making his mood even worse.

“Ya ready?”

She quietly responds that of course she is.

 _F*ck._ _Like I’m making things better? Let me just get her home, then I can go pound the bag for the rest of the night._

As if that will make the ache in his heart go away. Maybe not, but it will help him feel something else at least for a little while.

He starts up the stairs without even thinking. He stops at the entrance, realizing she is not right next to him, so he waits for her.

She arrives, looks at him but then quickly looks away. She starts walking towards the boarding house, not even acknowledging him. He’s so shocked that she’s a block away before he even starts to follow her, panicking. It doesn’t take him long to catch up, given his long gait, but she still doesn’t acknowledge him.

 _F*ck this is even_ **_worse_.** _I take it all back--just so she’ll look at me._

Suddenly they arrive in front of her boarding house, and she walks to the entrance.

“POPPY.”

He says this with some emphasis, as he wants her to _stop_ and look at him. She stops, but doesn't turn around.

“You OK?”  
  
“Yes, Tora, I’m fine. Good night.”

“Quincey asked me to tell you--he wants you to come to the mansion tomorrow, 11 o’clock. I’ll be here at 10:30 to pick you up.”

“Fine. I’ll see you then.”

She continues walking into the entrance on her way to her room, not saying another word to him.

He grimaces as she walks away again, going inside. He feels troubled that she _still_ didn’t look at him. 

_Why the f*ck is that so important? And whatta expect with ya attitude? F*ck me, f*ck my face, f*ck my life!_

Despite all this, he takes his usual spot across the street to watch, but tonight, her light does not go on, worrying him a little bit. But then he sees a shadow, nearly invisible, move once through the room. She’s in there, and he’s not discerning any sort of distress. He stays there for another 15 minutes or so, but the light never goes on, so he leaves a bit dejected. He’s grown fond of watching her shadow behind the lit curtain.

He gets to the gym, strips down to his undergarments, and starts pounding the bag ceaselessly. He stops after what seems like hours, panting, sweating, and ready to finally call it a night. He knows his rage is a bit nonsensical but he also can’t help it, especially when it comes to her and anyone who may hurt her or cause her discomfort of any kind--anyone getting close to her, period.

He had been thinking that distancing himself from her as much as he possibly can would be the best. But when Quincey discussed his ideas about her earlier in the day, to talk to her about an editing job, and his decision about making Tora her bodyguard, too, he knew right then and there it would be impossible anyways, especially how he longs for her, how he _feels_ about her. 

It’s one thing to watch her from afar and to walk her a mere five blocks down the street every night, but to be so close, _so close_ to her for almost the entire day, he knows he won’t be able to restrain himself. Not for a long shot. He simply has no idea if she’ll ever return the sentiment, _any_ sentiment or affection. He can only hope, not even sure how he might even approach her in that way. But he is eager to try. He is desperately hoping she'll say yes to the job with Quincey. 

As usual, thinking of her so much has at least one part of his body highly stimulated. He strips off his undergarments and gets under the spray of the gym shower. He lets the water flow over him for a while, then starts to think of her smile, the one he rebuffed just hours ago. Focusing on her smile alone brings his cock to full alertness. He soaps himself up, and keeps thinking of her smile, her costume, her singing, just... _her._ After several tight strokes, he orgasms with the intensity he always feels when she’s on his mind. 

_Ha! Guess some things will never change._

Gasping, he cleans himself up and turns off the shower. He grabs a towel, and heads to his room, long hair dripping. He towels himself dry, feeling exhausted. Getting into bed, he falls asleep with her sweet face on his mind, yet again.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy is just so _finished_ with everyone tonight, including Tora. She was looking forward to the five block walk, the only time of the day she really enjoys, a guilty pleasure, when he wouldn't even look at her, not really, and then his sour demeanor?

_They can all fudging pound rocks for all I care! Men! And they say women are emotional and difficult? What a load of horse manure!_

She is feeling so distraught, she doesn’t even turn the light on when she gets to her room. She strips off her coat and all of her clothes, dropping them to the floor, and gets into bed. She snorts a bit in frustration, then starts tossing and turning, continuing to do so for some time.

After a few more minutes of fruitless flopping, she then lays still. Slowly her hands make their way to her core, and she begins to stroke her clit with one hand, plunging the index and middle fingers of the other in and out of her slit. Thinking of all the men in her life, it makes her movements more and more frantic and rough. She has never really thought of either Quincey or William in any sexual way, and Tora of course is a different story. But she is just so infuriated with all three of them for different reasons, all compounded by her attraction to Tora. This session is mostly all about her frustrations and fury.

Her release takes a little longer than normal, but eventually she climaxes with a guttural gasp of complete vexation. Although she starts to wonder what Quincey wants to talk to her about, she finally manages to drift off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twilight Aristocracy – “metaphor for how gay men saw themselves within wider society”  
> <https://dannyashkenasi.com/2015/08/26/the-speakeasy-glossary-queer-slang-of-the-prohibition-era/>
> 
> Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out--classes started last week! Enjoy!
> 
> A bit of filler and world building, at minimum, and soon things will be picking up a bit, I guarantee it!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long discussion is had about the Outfit, Vincent and more. And it's now decided--Tora will be her personal bodyguard. Quincey offers Poppy another job she can't refuse. We learn a little more about the _other_ Secret Garden, too, explaining the appearance of a certain dark haired handsome thug amongst it's pages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong.”   
> ~Leo Rosten

Tora pulls up in front of the boarding house the next morning promptly at 10:30 am and sees Poppy standing in the doorway, waiting for him.

Before we can get out of the car to open the passenger door for her, she walks over and gets into the passenger seat. 

“Good morning, Tora.”

“Mornin’”

She still seems a bit aloof. Whatever was bothering her last night must still be bothering her now, but rather than ask, he puts the car in gear and moving on its way to Quincey’s manor. There’s going to be a lot of discussion this morning, so he doesn’t want to stir the pot any more than necessary, given they are going to tell her all about everything—Vincent, the Outfit, Quincey, and unfortunately…. _him_.

He wishes that Quincey wouldn’t do it, but Quincey convinced him that from now on, they have to be as honest as possible. Or at least as honest as they _can_ be. There is no getting around it, now that Poppy is on Vincent’s radar. It’s even more prudent to educate her about the Outfit, as Quincey is expected to bring her to dinner the following week. Quincey also believes that if they tell her as much of the truth as possible from now on, then it's less likely they will need to keep track of all the details. But still, there may be some things she can just never know. 

The next half an hour is a bit excruciating, as neither says anything to each other as he drives, although he covertly looks her way periodically. How can he possibly resist. Even solemn, _furious_ , she’s f*cking gorgeous.

They finally arrive at the manor, and she gets out of the car without his help, and walks up to the front door, leaving Tora behind. 

_Ouch. She is still in a foul mood, I guess._

She rings the bell, and just as Tora gets to the bottom of the stairs, the door opens. The butler greets her, and then notices Tora walking up behind her. At least the butler _has_ to wait for him. Otherwise, he believes Poppy would otherwise slam the door on his face.

After depositing their coats and hats with the butler, they are both escorted into the front parlor where Quincey and Erdene are both waiting. Poppy had no idea Erdene would be there. She nods her head and smiles weakly at them both. 

Quincey and Erdene look at each other, but know they need to get all of this unpleasantness out of the way, so Quincey speaks up first.

“Come Poppy, have a seat. I have a lot to tell you.”

She walks over and sits next to him.

Quincey takes a deep breath, and holds it in for a bit, thinking for a moment, trying to decide where to start. He decides that maybe the best thing to do is ask _her_ if she has any questions. He slowly lets out his breath, looks at Erdene and then Tora, and then he simply asks her.

“OK, Poppy, I think the best way to start is to ask you: what do you want to know? I know you must have a lot of questions. So let’s start there.”

Poppy had to think for a moment. Where do _I_ start. So, rather than ask a question, she makes a demand, one that is completely pertinent to the situation.

“Tell me more about Vincent Balthuman.”

_Well, that’s a good start. Let’s just get right to the point._

_“_ As you already know, Vincent Balthuman is my father. He is the head boss of the Balthuman Outfit, the largest mafia organization in the region, if not the country. The Outfit is involved with bootlegging, speakeasies—the Secret Garden is just one— some illicit drugs, guns, and women. This is accomplished with the support of people in office and cops within the city. He rules with violence, intimidation, and is very powerful.”

Poppy knew most of this of course, but she would have never associated it with Quincey.

“What role do _you_ play, Quincey?”

“Simple. As I believe I already told you, I am expected to eventually take it over, all of it. Not that I really want to, but somehow Father expects me to.”

“Why does he want you to bring me to dinner?”

_Oh, that is a bit more complicated, and I thought I already explained this._

“To put it bluntly, Poppy, and I already told you, he thinks you’re good wife material for me.”

Poppy is still a bit shocked at this idea.

“I’m sorry, Quincey, but that is just ludicrous. I can’t have a relationship with you, let alone _marry_ you.”

“Of course, not, Poppy. Of course not! But if you remember our discussion, he seems to think that if he _wills_ it, it will happen. Even if that is far from the case.”

“Tell me—what else is there to know. Any more surprises?”

“Well, actually, yes, there is. Tora is not just simply my bodyguard.”

Now _that_ got her attention. She looks over at Tora with a look of concern on her face.

 _Thank f*ck—at least now she’s_ **_looking_ ** _at me._

But that doesn't last long, as she then looks back at Quincey.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s an _enforcer._ For the Outfit.”

“OK, so tell me what that entails.” 

Poppy already has a sneaking suspicion what it means, based on it's label-- _Enforcer._ But she wants affirmation. She wants to hear it. Out loud.

But before Quincey can even respond, Tora speaks first. He feels _he_ should be the one to tell her, not Quincey.

“I enforce. I intimidate. I hurt people. And yes, _I kill people_.”

Poppy can’t help but wince. To hear him say it is simply brutal. Now she understands his remote, unemotional demeanor. How else can he function but distance himself from the garbage he is involved in and what he has to mete out to others. She knows now that she can’t possibly read his emotions effectively if he has to bury them all the time. Then she starts to feel embarrassed at how selfish she’s being, so she braces herself to ask them all more personal questions. Why not—they are dumping so much sensitive information on her like this, so why not ask.

Tora now thinks the chances of anything happening, any relationship with Poppy are all but gone now. But this is what Quincey wanted to do. 

_F*ck Quincey, I knew this was a mistake._

What he hears next from Poppy really surprises him, surprises all of them.

“Do you like it, like doing all of that?”

 _What the f*ck did she ask? Do I_ **_like_ ** _it?_

“F*ck no. I f*cking hate it. But I have no choice. Haven’t had one since Vincent indoctrinated me as a kid.”

_He did this to him, this **began** when he was just a child? I know the Outfit is mafia, but I never thought it would be so horrible, that they could be so cruel. _

She looks over quickly at Tora with a bit of a sad look on her face, but doesn't seek to wallow, not now.

“And Quincey, we had this discussion before, but what are we going to do about this stuff with your father? I mean, I can’t be your wife.”

Quincey laughs a little. 

“Don’t laugh at me, but remember I actually thought we should just pretend that you’re my fiancée to get him off my back.”

“Yeah, Quince, remember my reaction to that?”

It wasn’t Poppy who spoke, but Tora. All three of the others look at him with surprise. 

Quincey laughs to diffuse some of the tension. 

“Yes, Tora, you have already pointed out the many reasons why that will never work. I think Poppy would agree with you, too. I mean the club, my, uh, _relationships_ , and so on. But I still don’t know how I can get my father off my back. Now that he's met Poppy, and watched her sing? He’ll likely be pretty insistent. Erdene is really the only other one that's come even close to being considered, meeting his particular criteria, and she managed to dissuade him, in her own way, but Poppy is a whole different ball of wax, if you know what I mean.”

_Yes, Quincey, I do._

Interestingly enough, the three of them are thinking the same thing as they listen to Quincey talk. Erdene responds first.

“She needs to be protected as much as she can, especially from _him_ , Quincey. I mean I had my own ways to compensate, to manage the whole situation, I have always had my own security, I have my own resources, and then, of course, I came up with my own fake fiancée. But Poppy doesn’t have any of that, at least not yet.”

“Yes, and that brings up the next subject of discussion.”

Poppy’s head is spinning, even though technically none of this information is new, nor anything she doesn’t already know. 

_So what **now**? _

“I want Tora to be your bodyguard.”

The expression on Poppy’s face makes them all wonder what’s going through her mind. 

_"What?!?"_

“Yes. Here is what I propose. He will continue to escort you home after all your shifts at the Garden. But he will also go with you everywhere outside of the club, whether it be to the grocer down the street, the library, shopping, whatever. He will drive you wherever you need to go as well.”

“But can he do that? I mean being an enforcer and all? And isn’t he _your_ bodyguard?”

“Well, if he’s called off for an assignment, we would have an alternate to step in. Likely, it’ll be Damien or Yadori. When he’s in the club, he will still sit with me, but there he can watch both of us, given the amount of his own men who work there.”

_F*ck, I watch ya so much now anyways, it's not gonna be a stretch, not at all. And I will **not** let that Yadori creep watch ya if I can help it, sweetheart. _

For a moment, for the first time in a very long time, Tora is feeling a bit optimistic, almost downright cheerful. Tora now also realizes he’ll have to find a few alternates, more loyal men, to take the place of that Yadori shit, especially if he wants anyone to guard Poppy, be around her at all, someone other than him. And there is more coming that Poppy doesn't even know about yet, so he sits and waits for that nugget of information to come forth.

Poppy has to admit--having Tora become her bodyguard is the most appealing thing she’s heard since she walked in the door, hell, since she's arrived in the city. But still doesn't quite comprehend how it might work. If Tora is with her all the time, who will be with Quincey? But hey, she won't complain. 

_HA! Heavens, **he** can watch my body any time_. 

She is embarrassed at this thought popping into her mind, given the situation, and her face flushes a bit. She feels guilty, but is also a bit relieved as her anger had already dissipated the moment they started discussing the Outfit anyways.

_Like I have the right to complain about my own petty nonsense?_

She feels so much sorrow after learning more about Tora’s situation. It's not pity she's experiencing, she doesn't feel sympathetic in the slightest. She is fudging _furious_ with Vincent Balthuman, for exposing someone to such horrible things—and as a child? It’s just so _awful--_ the idea that anyone has to hurt others, against their will. She believes Tora won’t likely say a lot to her about what really is involved in being an enforcer, and she doesn’t want to know more than she already does, but she has to accept this, all of it, even if it may seem extreme to her. There is still so much she doesn’t know, and they likely have much more experience in such things. She will simply have to trust them unless they demonstrate otherwise.

“And Poppylan, I actually have something else I want to discuss with you.”

_Goodness, what else can there be, Quincey?_

“Yes?”

“Erdene tells me you have a degree in literature and arts, and want to be a writer. She’s also told me that you’ve been applying to just about every writing job here in the city, with no luck.”

“True. All true.”

She feels depressed just hearing him say all this. She’s honestly felt hopeless in seeking out her dream job, that it will never happen at this point.

“Well, what if you worked for me.”

“What do you mean? I already work for you.”

“No, not at the club. I want you to work for me as my editorial assistant. I’m an author.”

“Wow. You keep surprising me, Quincey. What have you written? Is it something I might have read?”

“Oh several books— _The Mystery of the Purloined Purple Popinjay_ , _The Case of the Impassioned Paisley Prince, The Malady of the Poisoned Purple Pomegranate, you’ve heard of those, yes?”_

“Wha— _you’re Ōji Yakumo?!”_

“Yup. Tis moi! It’s my pen name. Do you like it?”

He won’t reveal his other work, and his _other_ pen name to her, not quite yet. His _other_ Secret Garden will be kept just that—secret, as it were, at least until they work together a little more. Even then, he has no idea what she might think of the magazines, so he’ll hold off on sharing that tidbit as well. Who knows—maybe she... _likes_ erotic literature?

It’s bad enough he has to manage how much Tora is so intertwined in the project, ways that Tora probably doesn’t even know about. After all, Quincey borrowed _his_ last name as his pen name for the series, and somehow Tora has been pretty tolerant. There’s also the fact that the illustrator he’s hired is _completely obsessed_ with Tora. She is quite an _odd_ person, but she is a great artist, especially how well she illustrates Quincey's quite… _perverted_ ideas. He has no idea if Tora has even read any of the magazines or noticed how his visage makes regular appearances. “Pseudo-Tora” only appears in the straight segments he’s written so far, those and some of the _solo_ stories he’s written. And those are especially _spicy_. 

_If Tora only knew. Maybe he does, but doesn’t care? He shuts down whenever I try to talk to him about my “smut” books, as he calls them._

Quincey has no idea who the artist uses as an inspiration for the queer storylines, but it’s certainly not Tora, nor himself either. But that woman saw Tora without a shirt, once, just once, and the rest of what she draws is based on his face and chest for sure, but likely her vivid imagination fills in the details of what she’s never actually seen before. Goodness knows, Tora would never have had any physical relationship with the woman, not ever, so she couldn’t possibly know his _complete_ physique. She’s not his type, at all. But Poppylan? 

_Well, I think I know the answer to that! She is most definitely that man’s type. I guess I know who I’ll have to write my next script about—tall dark handsome thug meets demure curvy brunette for a randy rendezvous. Still, I don’t think he has read them, or he’d probably beat me to a pulp. He knows I write smut and there are pictures, but that’s the extent of his knowledge. How can I help it if she translates every straight man into_ ** _him_** _, and besides—it does help the magazines sell, and I do sell_ ** _a lot_** _of them. I know I don’t need the money, but the success is so much more gratifying. F*ck I’m such a deviant bastard, aren’t I._

He almost sniggers out loud at these thoughts, but then Poppy’s excited voice brings him back out of his momentary daydreams.

“Oh my goodness, Quincey, Ōji Yakumo has to be one of my favorite mystery writers!”

“Now you know--it’s not the only secret I have, dear. Anyways, what if you came to work for me? You can be my assistant, can write with me, be my ghostwriter? The pay would be substantial. I’ve been meaning to hire someone for some time. Goodness knows, Tora despises being subjected to my ideas.”

Tora can’t help but roll his eyes. 

_No f*cking shit, Quince. It’s mostly torture, especially the f*cking smut--even if I give ya some of ya best ideas._

Poppy is just speechless at this latest revelation. I mean, this would be a dream job, _the_ dream job, forget writing for a newspaper or magazine. And to work with _Ōji Yakumo?_

“I don’t have to spend a moment thinking about it Quincey—YES.”

Quincey is pleased. But he’s going to have to treat her the same way he did when he first hired her at the club, before she started singing. He’s going to have to give her a chance to prove herself first.

“Do you have any writing of your own? If so, I’d like to read it.”

“Yes, of course.”

But she has to think for a moment where she might have put all of it.

_Where did I store it all? Home in Moonbright? Or did I put it in my satchel? Where is that anyways? I have no idea where I put it when I got back to the city._

She has a vague memory of it, putting it somewhere, but it’s been several weeks since she’s even thought of it. Not since she left Moonbright after that _jerk_ cheated on her. That memory alone makes her solemn.

“Fabulous. Now, I know we’ve just talked about a lot of difficult things, so let’s break for lunch. I insist. Then you and I can come up with a schedule, salary, perhaps a trial period? Does that appeal to you? And Tora will of course escort you to and from here, we'll work here at the manor. He'll stay here with us, to guard us both while we work together.”

Tora's mood improves hearing Quincey talk about it.

_And to think I objected before? What the f*ck was I thinking? This'll be perfect._

“Yes, yes of course, Quincey. You have no idea how much this will mean to me. How much it _does_.”

Poppy is ecstatic--the job offer to work with Quincey, _write_ with him, _Ōji Yakumo_ , more than makes up for all the mafia stuff she learned about. She still has lots to process of course, especially knowing _who_ Tora is, what he does, being more than just Quincey’s bodyguard. Still, she has a sense that he is more than just a mafia goon. She can’t quite place why he seems different, but he is. She's been circulating amongst all kinds of Outfit men at the club, watching how they act, and none of them even remotely behave the same way. She just _knows_ he’s unique amongst such coarse men. And him being assigned as her _personal_ bodyguard? Another positive thing to be thankful for as well. But still, she needs to get to know him a little better, to find out if her gut instincts are true, that he is in essence truly a good man.

 _But does he know it already? If not, how might I even begin to demonstrate this to him, to help him realize it?_

She knows she is really getting ahead of herself, of course. She now knows he hates what he is doing, likely what he has done in the past, and has always hated it and alway will. But she still has an instinct that he is so much more than that, more than what he _does._ Poppy has her own issues, too, so it may take time for them both to work through all of their own problems, first. Still, she--and her body--is already excited at the prospect of being so close to him much more than she has before. She shivers in her seat at this thought.

“Wonderful. And you can fill us in about what songs you’ll be singing this week. I’m dying of curiosity. And wardrobe, Erdene have you found anything?”

Erdene and Poppy laugh together at his persistent enthusiasm, even after all the mafia business. 

_He really doesn’t seem the mafia type at all, does he._

Tora excuses himself for a cigarette as the rest of them make their way to the front dining room for lunch. He can’t help but feel a little bit hopeless and hopeful at the same time. He is no conversationalist by any means, but feels he may need to have more of a one on one conversation with Poppy, at least at some point. But doesn’t know how much he can share or how much he can actually _bear_. But the very thought of being near her? His libido is sure happy, that's for sure.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Quincey, Erdene, and Poppy sit down, and start chatting, waiting for Tora to reappear before they start to eat.

“OK--songs?”

“Right. I’ve picked three this time. First, ‘S Wonderful’--yes Quince, another Gershwin tune, but this one is a bit more playful. Uh, next is ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’--Henry Burr made that one famous."

“Ooh, I love that one, Pops!”

Quincey remembers listening to that one in one of the European clubs he visited just the year before.

“Last is ‘It Had to be You’--an older one written by Kahn and Jones.”

“You have quite a theme going there, Poppylan Wilkes. You trying to make all those Outfit goons lust after you?”

Poppy has to force herself to laugh a little at that, wondering if Quincey even knew at all about Claude and his persistent and unwanted pursuit of her. At that thought she looks over at Erdene, who gives a knowing look back at her. 

_Sorry, Quince, there is really only_ **_one_** _man_ _I want, period. One who’s now gonna be a whole lot closer to me than before, one I_ **_want_ ** _to be a lot closer._

Erdene just doesn’t have a clue about any of these songs, not really. While she can play the piano and had taken dance classes when she was 12, she isn’t really a music aficionado.

“And Erdene and I have indeed found another outfit, but I’ll wait for everyone to see it on Friday. Don’t want to spoil the surprise, you know.”

Poppy looks over at Erdene with a sly smile. They both know her dress will have everyone talking. That’s part of the show, to put on the costume, right?

“I guess I’ll have to wait until Friday then. But now, we’ll have to figure out what you can wear to my father’s this week. His regular 'big dinner nights' are usually on Thursdays. Tora will drive us, of course. So, I think Erdene will agree--you can have the night off?”

“I concur, Queen.”

“Anyways, you should seek the most matronly, ugly thing you can find in Erdene’s closet. Think the ugliest dress you’ve ever seen, one not even your Granny would wear.”

Both Erdene and Poppy chuckle more at these directions. 

“I think he was so impressed with your visage the other night, you became all the more attractive and appealing in his eyes. Let’s just try to strike that image from his memory if at all possible, yes?”

“Erdene and I will find something, I’m sure.”

Just then Tora enters the room, witnessing the three of them laughing and talking. He's feeling more hopeful than ever, more hopeful indeed.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tora hears from Goliath, and then there is the dinner at Vincent's... oh what fun! And Poppy gets noticed, but by the wrong guy. I mean _really_ the wrong guy...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > "Wild women are an unexplainable spark of life. They ooze freedom and seek awareness, they belong to nobody but themselves yet give a piece of who they are to everyone they meet. If you have met one, hold on to her, she'll allow you into her chaos but she'll also show you her magic.”  
> ~Nikki Rowe

After a long morning of revelations and reveals, it is just another ordinary night at the club. Tora escorts Poppy at the end of the night, and to Poppy, he seems much quieter and distant than before, something she didn’t think could be possible. 

_What is going on with him? I mean, he just seems...off._

“You know I appreciate you doing this, protecting me.”

“Course.” His response seems a bit terse, even for him. He lights a cigarette as they slowly walk up the next block.

She decides she doesn’t even want to try and engage him in conversation, not tonight. After all, she is a bit overwhelmed at everything she learned about Quincey, the Outfit, and _him._ And she has no idea why most of it doesn’t really bother her either, and why she’s in such a good mood. But she knows she needs more time to consider everything, especially since they are going to Vincent’s home for dinner in a few days. Quincey wants to coach her a bit before then, so things might very well change.

They arrive at the boarding house much sooner than either would have liked, and Poppy simply smiles at him, telling him goodnight. She continues to smile to herself as she walks in the door. Just being around him might just be enough to defrost the giant man's demeanor, even though she understands why he acts this way, but it’s barely been a day since she learned the truth. So, time will tell. 

Continuing to smoke the rest of his cigarette, Tora watches her walk away from him and through the boarding house door. Moving to his usual spot across the street, he watches her light come on, then sees her walk back and forth behind her curtains, the same old routine, one he always looks forward to, but tonight he can't help but feel both elated _and_ unsettled. While he is thankful that he will be protecting her--hell, just knowing he’ll be _near_ her _more_ makes him feel ecstatic, he is also worried.

 _How can she_ **_not_ ** _be revolted by me, now that she knows the truth?_

Is she simply being kind? Of course she treats almost everybody the same way. But still, even though she’s been a bit quiet the past few days, it is still surprising to him that she didn’t outright refuse Quincey’s request. She also hasn’t shied away from him more nor behaved the way he might have expected. Most people have a visceral reaction to him, thug or not, killer or not. And she isn’t bothered--never has been--from the inherent danger he almost always exudes. Even though he hates what he does, it doesn't change a thing. He is still stuck. But he also is hopeful...and confused. He is just so surprised at her reaction when she found out he killed people. 

_I’m f*cking disgusted by what I do. How could she not? Maybe watching her will be a big mistake. But I can’t deny it’s what I really want, to be as close to her as I can be._

After he sees her light go out, he heads back home to the gym, each step making him more and more frustrated. 

_Definitely gotta hit the bag hard tonight._

Despite everything that was decided that morning, he has even more to worry about. Most stressful of all? On his way to pick up Poppy that morning, Tora found a note on his car. 

_That morning:_

Looking around him to be sure no one is watching, he quickly grabs the note on his windshield and gets in the car. The moment he unfolds the sheet of paper, he can tell it’s a coded message from Goliath. The note tells him to meet Goliath under the main Narin River bridge at 1 am the following Monday. As he finishes reading, he burns the note, using the flame to light a cigarette. 

_Thank_ **_f*ck_ ** _we came up with that code._

Even though he has been estranged from Goliath for some time, the code offers them both a way to communicate with each other without anyone else knowing what they are saying. Still, he needs to be cautious, given Vincent’s directive to find Goliath _and_ the ledger. He will have to be extremely careful when he leaves the club, especially why he's leaving, and so on. He knows he’ll have to set up a backup to usher Poppy home in case he doesn't make it back in time. 

All in all, he simply can’t help but feel anxious. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dinner at Vincent’s home is something that all three of them had been dreading for sure, but they all know it could not be avoided. The three of them arrive promptly at 5 pm, and Poppylan is feeling a bit uncomfortable, but she willingly follows Quincey’s suggestion to dress “matronly.” She is wearing a loose long-sleeved high-collared sheath dress, a plain ugly brown one, wearing thick brown socks and sensible shoes, but with her requisite chignon hairstyle. She appears so different than she did wearing the beautiful sparkling dress the Friday before.

 _Gosh, just a week ago? Whew. How much has happened… But gracious, not even Gran would wear something so awful._

Tora gazes at her out of the corner of his eyes, and while she doesn't have any makeup or any sort of decoration adorning her face, he thinks she is still the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.

 _F*ck, she always look good_. 

At the Balthuman Estate, he drops Quincey and Poppy off at the entrance then he parks the car on the other side of the large roundabout. He’d prefer to leave the car right there in front of the door, but knows he can’t, not tonight. Vincent is paying too close attention to all of them, so he needs to be extra alert to any particular shenanigans Vincent might have up his sleeve.

After entering the house, Poppylan is astounded at the Art Deco decor, wondering just how rich the man really is. After the big reveal about the Outfit and Vincent, Quincey coached her consistently all week long, but his main piece of advice is to act demure and “female.” Don’t speak unless spoken to, no direct eye contact, and even if his father asks her questions, do not offer him any information that he might use against her. She knows it will be difficult to “play dumb” so to speak, but knows Quincey is merely trying to protect her and deflect his father’s attention away from her.

The butler takes their coats and hats, and Tora is right behind them within minutes, dumping his fedora and coat unceremoniously so as to not be left too far behind. As they enter the formal dining room, Poppy can tell this dinner is more intimate than she expected. Other than Vincent there is a woman and three other men, including—much to Poppy’s dismay—Claude.

_I really need to have a chat with the both of them about Claude and how much he’s been bothering me._

One of the men has dull graying hair, wears wire rim glasses, and is closer to Vincent’s age. The second has red hair and has a smug unsettling grin on his face. The beautiful older woman has white blond hair and stands at Vincent’s side.

“Welcome, Poppylan. Quinceton. _Tora._ ”

Poppy couldn’t help notice the change in Vincent’s tone when he acknowledges Tora being present.

_Was he not expecting Tora to be here, as Quincey’s bodyguard, or is he being that way for some other reason? I’ll have to ask them both later._

“Let me introduce you. First, this is my wife and Quinceton’s mother, Rosaline.”

Poppy is simply amazed at the loveliness of this woman. How could she looks the way she does _and_ be old enough to be Quincey’s mother?

“I am pleased to meet you, Poppylan. Welcome to our home.”

“Next is Martin Gyangu. He is my….right hand man.”

Quincey had to be careful _not_ to roll his eyes at the absurdity of the made up position, but he has to remember he has to be as neutral as possible tonight. Martin simply nods.

_Father, you are an utter prick. Poppylan knows all about us, the Outfit. F*ck. I have to remember I'm doing this to keep Poppy as far away from the Outfit “politics” as possible. Keep your cool. Between me and Tora, we have to protect her as much as possible._

“And Claude Lang.” Vincent doesn’t even give any label to him, nor any particular reason for him being there. Of course _she_ doesn't know for a fact that Martin is second in command to Vincent (but she can guess), and Claude is Martin’s own top “man.” But Vincent also doesn’t realize that Poppy is very well acquainted with Claude and almost every top Outfit man who frequents the Garden, so she already knows Claude as an Outfit goon. Thankfully all that Claude does is nod his head as well. She’s actually worried for a moment that he might grab and kiss her hand, a very unwelcome gesture indeed. 

_Whew. Dodged a big bullet there, Pops._

“Lastly, is Scharch Shinobiyoru.” Vincent doesn’t give this man a title either, but Poppy isn’t familiar with this man at all. She can only guess he is yet another Outfit man. And while Claude makes her uncomfortable, this Scharch fellow fills her with utter dread and discomfort. The look in his eyes as he stares at her makes it seem as though he could eat her alive. He just keeps staring at her with a bit of a malicious smirk on his face.

“Come, have a seat. Dinner is ready.” Vincent is finished with his introductions, and sits down at his seat at the head of the table, a roaring fireplace several feet behind him, giving him an eerie fiery glow around his white blond head.

Quincey escorts Poppy to the place setting at Vincent’s right. He’s already told her that he will be expecting her to sit there, as she is his “special guest.” 

_Man is a f*cking monster._

Quince knows he needs to keep his father calm, to temper the savage beast. 

_Can’t ruffle his goddamn feathers if I can help it. Oh f*ck, I hate this shit. I need to stay calm. Whew. How does Tora keep cool, lucky bastard._

Quincey walks around the table to the seat on Vincent’s left, pulling out the chair and gesturing to his mother, giving her a light kiss on her right cheek as she sits down.

“Mother.”

He pushes the chair in behind her, and she quietly replies, “Thank you, Quinceton, dear.”

Quincey looks over the table into Tora’s eyes, and gives him a very subtle nod, indicating he should sit next to Poppylan. But before Tora can even take a step, his father speaks up.

“Quinceton, come—you must sit next to Poppylan, of course.”

_Good grief, I wish I could get this f*cker off my back. I am not going to get married, period, Father. I know Mother understands, but she can’t do anything about it either, but I guess I have to humor him, yet again._

Tora has to hold in a groan at the insistent utter shit that Vincent Balthuman always pulls. So he instead moves to sit next to Quincey, and the three other men take their seats at random—Martin next to Tora, and Claude then Scharch next to Rosaline. He is irritated as f*ck, but knows all the games that Vincent always plays when he does this shit to Quincey, and it's even rarer that Tora isn’t the one subject to the f*ckery. 

No sooner have they been seated when Vincent grabs a bell sitting by his elbow, ringing it, and two servers emerge from the door at the left of the fireplace. One is carrying a decanter full of red wine, which he pours into Vincent’s empty glass. The other pushes a wheeled cart carrying a soup tureen and begins serving a plain orange steaming bisque of some kind to each diner.

Vincent takes a sip of the wine, determining if it will pass muster.

“Excellent.”

The server moves to fill glasses around the table, but most of the Outfit men, including Tora, refuse. Poppy politely declines—she wants to keep her wits about her for the evening ahead. Quincey and Rosaline are the only others who imbibe. 

“So, Poppylan. Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?”

Poppylan takes a slow deep breath, and begins to answer the first of many likely questions.

"Moonbright, sir.”

“Ah, so not from the city, but a country girl?”

Poppy doesn’t really respond to that, giving Vincent a small smile.

_Pfft—country girl? What an ass. Quincey has not been exaggerating has he, and Vincent has such an acerbic inflection to his commentary._

Vincent looks at her in a way that is bordering on uncomfortable, but again, Quincey already coached her on what to expect from him. She’s not saying more than she needs to in any case, especially with _this_ man. 

“How did you come to work in Quincey’s...establishment?”

“A friend.”

Even though Quincey told her not to say it, she too knows better than to say Erdene’s name in front of Vincent Balthuman, and feels this inconsiderate clod does not need any more explanation than that.

“And I must say, as you demonstrated last Friday, you sing very well, my dear. Do you have formal training?”

Poppy knows she can be honest in answering this question, because there is nothing to hide in this respect.

“No, no vocal lessons, but throughout my schooling I was involved in chorus, I sang in the choir at my local church, and in college I was drama club president and was an active member in the glee club.”

As Vincent is listening to her, she notices that he takes a large sip of his wine.

“Oh, you went to college. You graduated I expect? What degree did you acquire?”

“Arts and literature.”

“Ah, a kindred spirit, eh, Quinceton?”

_F*ck, I didn’t expect that._

Quincey knows he has to tell him more about her, to dissuade this ridiculous idea that she could be his wife, and even though he knows the subject in question will irk his father, frankly he wants his father shut the hell up. He tells an odd mixture of lies, truths, and omissions—ones that he knows will incur the wrath of both Poppy _and_ Tora. 

_Better to head this beast off at the pass before it goes_ **_there_** _._

“Yes, in fact, I’ve just hired her to be my assistant. She needs to save money for her wedding. She’s engaged to a fellow in Moonbright, you know. And because of this new position, she won’t be working as much at the Garden.”

Taking a sip of water at the same time he says this, Poppy gasps and inhales, starting to choke. Tora is bringing a spoonful of soup to his mouth, and he freezes, almost splattering the orange watery slop all over.

_What the actual f*ck, Quinceton?_

Tora gives Quincey a very menacing glare without turning his head, but thankfully no one else seems to notice this, as they are all looking at Poppy.

“Goodness, dear, are you alright?” Vincent actually has a look of concern on his face, and reaches over to pat her on her back.

Poppy grabs her linen napkin, coughing into it. After a few moments of distress, she takes another small sip of water.

_What the heck was that?!?_

"I'm fine."

“Well, I did not realize you’re engaged, Poppylan.”

Quincey panics a bit, so he starts talking, as he does not want any more questions asked.

“Did you know my latest novel is going to be reprinted again, Mother?”

“Really? That’s wonderful news, dear. Tell me more.”

_Bless you, Mother. I knew you would help. Whew!_

Quincey is never one to shy away from talking about himself, and both Tora and Poppy are relieved with the subject change. 

Vincent looks at Quincey with suspicion, and Quincey realizes he may have made a huge mistake.

Vincent is indeed wondering why someone who is engaged to be married in the civilian population would be working at an Outfit speakeasy, singer or not, but decides to humor Quincey and lets him keep talking.

Quincey indeed keeps the conversation from diverting back to Poppy as much as possible. He has no idea what the repercussions of this interruption might cost him, but he simply doesn’t care. He wants this night to be over. 

Soon the main course of the meal is served, the discussion remains focused on Quincey’s novel, and finally, the night winds down. Tora excuses himself to bring the car around. Shortly after Tora leaves, Quincey makes excuses for them to leave, as the club is opening soon, so before his father can even offer a snifter of brandy, he and Poppy are out the front door.

Vincent then ushers Martin, Claude, and Scharch into his study, while Rosaline excuses herself and goes off to her own room.

He offers cigars and brandy to the other men, but they all decline. 

“Quincey is hiding something, something about _her_. What do you know, Martin?”

“I know just as much as you, but Claude is a regular at the club. What can you tell us, Claude?”

“She started as a cig girl, oh I don’t know, a few weeks ago? You watched her sing. The thing though is she’s not like any of the other women working there, not by a long shot. She really does seem more like a simple country girl, a civilian. She...doesn’t fit.”

Vincent sits and thinks for a minute or two, and finally decides not to openly ask any more questions about the woman. 

“That’s all I need to know, for now. You are dismissed.”

Martin, Claude, and Scharch all look at each other, curious about his dismissal, wondering why he has even asked about the petite pretty woman to begin with.

“Yes, sir. Goodnight.”

They all leave without any further discussion.

Vincent remains sitting behind his desk, still sipping his drink and puffing on his cigar. He is furious at the gall of Quinceton to interfere in his interrogation. The woman is one of the best candidates for a wife that he’s found for Quincey in a very long time. He isn’t so sure that Quincey would give up his ways, not really, but at least marrying him off to a woman, any woman would promote the facade he's seeking, one that will give the Outfit more clout. She’d be the perfect cover. He could not have Quincey leading his organization, not while acting so...queer. Never. He has grown tired of Quincey's perverted divergences, particularly his club, even though it is a moneymaker. Poppylan is a bit of a mystery, for certain, since she’s essentially someone who is outside of the Outfit’s domain.

 _Now should I push to find out more about her, or just move on?_ _Just who are you, Poppylan Wilkes?_

_+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++_

Later that night, Scharch is visiting the club for the first time in a very long time. Claude thinks he's the one who convinced Scharch to show up, but honestly, he's happier than a pig in shit. Well, f*ck. Didn't he just discover the cutest lil woman tonight? He had to come and see more of her for himself. He certainly felt the garb she was wearing at dinner was just a ruse, hiding her true appearance.

_No way some cig girl gonna look so plain. She's gotta have some shit under that dress, even I f*cking know **that**._

Once he sits down next to Claude, and he sees her, he knows for sure why the brunette has the attention of so many of the goons. She is f*cking stunning. She has bodacious tits and an ass he wants more than he'd like to admit. He watches while Poppy makes the circuit on the club floor, all dolled up in that obscene little get up of hers. He watches her, but not really like other men do. Oh no, not at all. He's seeking something much different. But he does have a huge hard on, so he makes a bit of an effort to hide it. Not that he isn't proud of it, of course not. He just doesn't want _her_ to see it, at least not yet. Not until it's go time.

He sits and takes a big gulp of his gin. His grin growing minute by minute.

_Hell, she's perfect for me. My next project. My next **toy**. I haven't seen such a lovely luscious one fall into my lap in a very long time. Don't have to settle for some Outfit slut or hag this time. This is going to be so much fun. Nice to have met you, Poppylan Wilkes. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting. Semester has started and have less time to write. This one has minor yucky NSFW stuff at the end (ooo that f*cker Scharch!). More coming of course, and soon we will have some realllll smut. I swear!


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the dinner at Vincent’s, thoughts about being referred to as a “country girl” brings back a vivid memory for Poppy. Then she prepares for her second performance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”  
> ~Paulo Coelho

Despite all she now knows, Poppy continues to follow her instincts about Tora, and definitely still feels a magnetic attraction to him. But she knows she will now have to work a little harder to thaw out his frozen demeanor. After crawling into bed every night, he still looms large during her usual late night routine. She still catches him gazing at her periodically, but it’s always felt very different from the leers she's been getting from the other men in the club. Much, _much_ different. She wonders if he’s ever noticed her staring back at _him._

_Hopefully. Whew. Focus, Poppylan. The night is young, and you have to get on stage soon._

On a tangent, she goes back to thinking about some way she may thank those who have helped her since she arrived in Narin City, especially those who have escorted her from the club to her room. Maybe she can cook a meal for them? She’ll talk to Erdene about possibly hosting a dinner at the club. 

_I can show them what a “little country girl” can do._

Still, she has to think about it more, as she is concerned about who might be included or not, especially Claude. While he was polite during the dinner at Vincent’s, it’s likely he will never leave her alone. He even made a comment to her that same night. Uncouth swine. It’s likely he will still pester her. 

_Sigh. Why can’t that man take a hint?_

And then there is Yadori, the new guy. She knows about the clientele of the club, the Outfit men, but she didn’t think she’d be subjected so personally to some of their vulgarity. While she has managed to deal with Claude, with the help of Erdene and others, there seems to be a little bit more about Yadori...he’s always been a bit... _off_ , but in a different way. She hasn’t been around him as much, but when she has, those times have been uncomfortable. Some of it has been rife with a bit of sexual tension—and he does downright leer at her—there is also something else about his behavior, perhaps a bit of menace. She’s also witnessed him giving Tora looks that waver—somewhere between jealousy and contempt. As a result, she’s been trying to stay vigiliant—and remains very wary of being around Yadori, so she does her best to avoid him as much as possible, just as she’s been doing with Claude. 

_Odd for someone so newly ensconced in the Outfit. But then again, I don’t know a lot about the mafia, other than the stereotypes._

The stress of having to deal with these two particular men makes her more than a little relieved that Tora will be the primary man escorting her from now on, regardless of how things will really work. 

_I mean he’s Quincey’s personal bodyguard. He can’t possibly watch us both, can he?_

She’ll have to talk more with Quincey about all of these logistics at some point. Their first working session will be on Monday, so she’s already determined to discuss it then. She’ll discuss the situation with Erdene, too, as they will be practicing new songs on Monday afternoon.

just then, Poppy has a vivid memory from a time from her past, when she was still living in Moonbright, and yes, was a little country girl.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

**Flashback—Moonbright 10 years ago**

A few months after she turned 11 years old, she’s working at Nōka’s farm on that particular day. 

She has been helping out her neighbor Nōka—more times than she could count—since the previous spring. Today, in one of the large fields, she’s riding one of the large pack horses, pulling the plow behind them. Suddenly, the plow hits a rather large rock, so without any warning the horse stops, and she falls off. It doesn't help that the horse isn’t wearing a saddle, so she’s been barely holding on as it is, gripping the horse’s collar tightly. One of the pitfalls of being such a tiny girl is that the distance between the pack horse and the ground is considerable. Thankfully, she wasn’t thrown too far and lands in a favorable position. The cold ground isn’t particularly soft either, and alas, she does hit the ground rather hard. 

_Owwwww…. That is gonna leave some bruises for sure._

She sits up and groans, thankful that she instantaneously prepared herself for the fall. Being a bit of a clumsy girl, she’s learned to always fall gracefully. Well, as gracefully as she could. She knows being thrown from a horse can be a serious matter, but it’s happened so many times, she’s actually gotten used to it. She never told her father about these incidents, as she knows it will jeopardize the opportunity to help Nōka. 

As she sits there, rubbing her sore rear end, she notices a group of several young men nearby walking down Waido Road, loud and obnoxious. One of them must have noticed her fall, since he’s now running his way over to where she's sitting.

“Are you hurt?” He drops down on one knee next to her, a look of concern on his face.

“No, not at all, just my pride.” She smiles up at him, lying a bit. He is quite tall with dark hair and the most intoxicating eyes. 

“Are you sure?” Even though she just said she was fine, she is actually feeling a bit dizzy. 

“Here, let me help.” He holds out his hand to her, and she slowly takes it. He then gently helps her get to her feet. Next, she sees he’s looking over at the horse, perhaps to make sure he’s not injured?

“Oh, don’t worry about Tsuyoi, he’ll be fine. This happens a lot.”

“That the horse’s name?”

She nods her head yes.

“You fall off horses a lot?”

“No, well, yes, sometimes, I mean we hit rocks a lot. But I don’t always fall off though.”

She is still feeling a little dizzy and wobbles a bit on her feet. This must worry him, as he has a look of alarm on his face.

“Here, let me take you back,” nodding his head towards Nōka’s house. Before she can even respond, he sweeps her off her feet.

She blushes as he walks her over to the porch of the farmhouse, and gently puts her on her feet.

“Thank you for your help.”

“Right. You okay?”

“Yes.”

“See ya, kid.” He turns to leave, but for some reason, she doesn’t want him to leave, not yet.

“Wait—why don’t I make you lunch. You can invite your friends if you want. Consider it a..a.. thank you?”

He hesitates and looks back over his shoulder at her, then looks back at the boys standing and waiting for him up on Waido Road. He seems reluctant to reply at first.

“Really, it’s no bother.”

At this, he looks back at her, and simply nods. Then, he whistles at the other boys, and gestures for them to come over to the house. 

Poppy is so pleased with herself.

“What about the horse? You need to take care of him?”

“Oh, no, he can stay there until we’re done with lunch.”

“OK.”

Within minutes the rest of the boys arrive, just as noisy and boisterous as they were minutes ago. The young man glares at the others, and they quiet down a bit, but they continue to softly banter amongst themselves and tease each other.

“Be right back. I hope you’re all hungry.” She says the second part a little louder so that the other boys can hear her.

She leaves them outside and rushes inside to prepare the food. Since she already spends so much time at this house, she knows where everything is located. More often than not, whenever she’s there, she’s cooked for Nōka, his son, and any other farmhands who might be around. Nōka once told her how much he appreciates her kindness, as some parts of running the farm have been quite difficult since just before last fall’s harvest when his wife died. 

In no time at all, she prepares a modest lunch, starting with a full pot of steaming miso broth with cubes of bean curd, a dinner plate full of sliced pears, a platter of small rice balls sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, a bowl containing several pickled boiled eggs still in their shells, and a large pitcher of water. She adds several small mugs and simple ceramic soup spoons for the miso, additional ceramic cups for the water and cloth napkins. Most of the food can be eaten without utensils, and she chose these foods for just this reason. Quick and easy. However, she realizes there is no way she can carry this all out to the porch, so she places it all on the kitchen table, and then goes back out the door to invite them inside.

“Please, come in.”

She leads the way, and they all pile into the kitchen and take seats at the large farmhouse table. They are now surprisingly quiet compared to when they first arrived. 

_He must have told them to behave._ She smirks at that. She begins to fill mugs with soup, and hands them out. Soon, they are all eating and their conversation begins to pick up again.

“Excuse me, I’ll be right back.”

She needs to find Nōka and see if he’s close to a stopping point for his own lunch. In no time she finds him in the barn, mucking out stalls, while she finds his son cleaning out the hen house. They both say they are not quite ready for lunch, and yet again Nōka tells her how much he appreciates her help.

She’s actually thankful they’re not ready for lunch, as she’d really like to extend the visit of the young man and his friends a little longer.

Just as she walks up the porch steps towards the front door, she sees nearly all of the young men are walking back to the main road, and a few of them wave to her. One with orange hair yells a thank you.

She enters the kitchen to find the table cleared and all the dishes washed and stacked next to the sink. 

_Wow, they ate everything. And so quickly._

The young man with the beautiful eyes is standing at the sink, looking out the window above it. 

_He must be waiting for me to return?_ She is a bit excited to think this is the case, but is not necessarily confident that’s why he’s still there.

“Oh, I made dessert, too, but they’ve all left.”

“It’s OK. We’ve overstayed our welcome anyways.” 

Not really, but he seems a bit anxious to leave for whatever reason.

“Wait, you can take some of it to go.”

She runs to the icebox, getting the bowls of strawberries and whipped cream out. She pulls out a small bucket from a cupboard, then places a cloth napkin inside. On top of that she places a honey cake, and then on top of that she loads it generously with the strawberries and whipped cream. She folds the edges of the napkin over it all, and on the very top she adds a broken ceramic spoon, one that might have ordinarily been thrown out, so he’ll have something he can eat it with.

“Here. And thank you again.” She hands the bucket out to him, eyes bright with a wide smile.

He takes the bucket from her, smiles back at her, nods, and walks out the front door. 

After that day, she never saw him or any of the other young men in Moonbright ever again. She had always hoped that they would appear again, that _he_ would appear again, but she never saw any of them again. 

She often wondered who he might be, and where he might be at any given time. The thing she remembers the most about him is his eyes, and now as she recalls that day, there is something nagging at her, something about the young man, but what, she can’t quite recall.

_That’s gonna bother me for awhile, but whatever. Anyways, I suppose I am a country girl, after all…_

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Standing in the back kitchen of the boarding house, hair loose down her back, Poppy is humming “Lady be Good” to herself while putting the finishing touches on a little something she hopes will be a peace offering, a dialogue opener with Tora, when out of the corner of her eye, she notices him standing in the kitchen doorway. With his usual stoic look, he’s looking at her, his eyes shining a bit brighter than normal. She wonders how long he’s been standing there watching her.

“Ah, you’re here.” She tries not to outwardly show how unsettled yet excited she is at his sudden appearance. 

_For such a large man, he didn’t make a sound._

“Evening.”

_Verbose as ever._

She smiles at him, then walks over to the icebox, placing a small container of some kind inside.

“That’s for you, by the way. It’s a bit of a thank you gift. I’ll make sure you get it at the end of the night. Anyways, let me just go and get my coat.”

He moves out of the way, so she can walk past him through the door. As she walks past him, the smell of her perfume follows in her wake. It takes every effort to stop himself from groaning and taking a deep breath. He does close his eyes for a few seconds, gulping quietly.

_F*ck, she always smells so good. What I wouldn’t give to bury my nose in her hair right now._

He watches her as she continues down the hall and into her room. After she closes the door behind her, he takes a deep breath, then walks to the front door of the boarding house, waiting for her to emerge. Within minutes she walks out, wearing her coat, and surprisingly she still has her hair down. He gestures for her to walk through the door before him, and they briskly make their way down the street to the Garden. He finds he’s eager to discover what she’ll be wearing and what songs she'll be singing tonight. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After they arrive at the club, Poppy doesn’t stop walking—she makes her way back to the costume room where Erdene is waiting for her. 

“Hello, my flower. How are you this fine evening?”

“I’m just fine, Erdene. Let’s get started. Lots of hair and makeup tonight, yes?”

Erdene laughs. That’s actually far from the truth. Poppy herself will be styling her own hair tonight, but Erdene will be helping with the dress and other parts of the costume. 

They found the perfect dress earlier that week, the same time they found the hideous brown sheath dress she wore to dinner the night before.

The dress is yet another exclusive Erdene-acquired design, very avant-garde and Art Deco. Poppy wasn’t at all surprised to discover that Erdene has yet another close designer friend, of course. She believes that if they are going to be continuing with the performances, they might want to hire a production manager of some kind. Since Erdene and Quincey aren’t as conversant in the details of putting on such shows, it’ll be fun to educate them a bit about it. 

The dress is simply stunning. It’s a bright red slip dress with a shawl collar, with an embroided and beaded zig-zag pattern, and a short fringed handkerchief hem, ending about mid-calf. She chose this dress at the urging of Erdene, who convinced her how attractive she looks in it. The collar is a unique design, resting on the edge of her shoulders instead of the usual scoop neckline of most slip dresses. 

With Poppy’s complexion, the red dress alone is simply stunning. And the off-shoulder neckline shows off her collar bones and graceful neck and offers just a bit of her ample bosom. It took a lot of convincing for Poppy to even consider it, but Erdene relented and here she is, wearing it. But before pulling it on, Poppy braids her hair, interspersing in it a red beaded ribbon. The long fancy French braid hangs gracefully down her back. Pulling the dress on with Erdene’s help, her look is topped off with a black beaded bandeau over her forehead, a plain scarlet red ribbon around her neck. red satin pumps, and underneath it all, she’s wearing scandalous red tap pants. She decides to skip the garter and stockings tonight. The dress is tight enough around her bust that she doesn’t require any other undergarments. 

She sits down at the makeup table, adding some black kohl eyeliner on her lids, a light dusting of pink blush, and finishes with bright red lipstick.

“My _goddess_ , woman, you are so f*cking beautiful.”

All Poppy can do is giggle at Erdene at this point. She can get dressed up, sure, but she is far from beautiful. 

“Erdene, you sure know how to win a girl over, don’t you.”

They both laugh.

“You know I’d keep you for myself if I could, but, well, honey, these days I think you have someone _else_ who would gladly take you.”

At that sentiment, Poppy’s smile drops off her face. She thinks Erdene is talking about Claude.

“Wait, Pops, what’s the mat—“

“Never mind. Can you see if Candy is done? For some reason I’m nervous tonight.”

 _Goodness, she can’t possibly believe I’d even_ **_think_ ** _of Claude?! UGH. No way. I need to remind her about him._

She watches as Erdene walks out of the room, to check the floor. To Poppy, it’s a long five minutes until she comes back. 

“It’s time, love.”

Poppy sucks a deep breath in, and pushes herself to her feet. Letting her breath out, she walks out onto the floor. While she knows she was a hit last week, for some reason she still has a bit of stage fright. 

_Here we go again. Whew._


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy is incredibly nervous as she performs again, Scharch is a skeevy b*stard, and Tora is mesmerized.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “It’s the hard things that break; soft things don’t break. It was an epiphany I had today and I just wonder why it took me so very, very long to see it! You can waste so many years of your life trying to become something hard in order not to break; but it’s the soft things that can’t break! The hard things are the ones that shatter into a million pieces!”  
> ~C. JoyBell C.

Poppy walks across the floor at the Garden and straight onto the stage, not looking at anyone—not Quincey waiting at the piano, not anyone in the audience, and certainly not Tora. For whatever reason the usual ambient noise of clinking glasses and low conversation amongst the tables are absent, and it’s actually eerily quiet the entire time it takes for Poppy to cross the floor. This doesn't settle her nerves and she’s just too damn nervous for whatever reason. But as she stops in in the spotlight in front of the microphone, the tension starts to ease. She looks over to Quincey, nodding, and he starts to play the intro to the first song she has chosen, a fun and silly Gershwin tune, [ “‘S Wonderful." ](https://youtu.be/MLI8mj0i07M)

**"'S Wonderful"** is a 1927 popular song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin. It was introduced in the Broadway musical _Funny Face_ (1927) by Adele Astaire and Allen Kearns.[1]—with Poppy modifications*

> (Verse 1)  
> Life has just begun  
> Jack has found his Jill;  
> Don't know what you've done  
> But I'm all a-thrill  
> How can words express  
> Your divine appeal?  
> You can never guess  
> All the love I feel  
> From now on, mister, I insist  
> For me no one else exists
> 
> (Chorus 1)  
> 'S wonderful! 'S marvelous!  
> You should care for me!  
> 'S awful nice! 'S paradise!  
> 'S what I love to see!
> 
> You've made my life so glamorous|  
> You can't blame me for feeling amorous  
> Oh, 'S wonderful! 'S marvelous!  
> That you should care for me!
> 
> (Verse 2)  
> Don't mind telling you  
> In my humble fash  
> That you thrill me through  
> With a tender pash  
> When you said you care  
> 'Magine my emosh  
> I said then and there  
> Permanent devosh  
> You've made all other guys seem blah  
> Just you alone fills me with ah!
> 
> (Chorus 2)  
> 'S wonderful! 'S marvelous!  
> You should care for me!  
> 'S awful nice! 'S paradise!  
> 'S what I love to see
> 
> My dear, it's four-leaf clover time  
> From now on my heart's working overtime  
> Oh, 'S wonderful! 'S marvelous!  
> That you should care for me!

  
The crowd cheers and claps. This reception simply bolsters her confidence even more, and the nerves she has been feeling as she climbed up on stage are now dissipating rapidly. She lets the audience continue with their praise for a few moments more, and then looks over to Quincey, nodding to let me know she’s ready for the second song. She wonders what they will think of the next two songs, both a little...bittersweet. 

"[ **Are You Lonesome Tonight?** ](https://youtu.be/TkCgD29DnAo) " (sometimes stylized as **Are You Lonesome To-night?** ) is a song written by [ Roy Turk ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Turk) and [ Lou Handman ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Handman) in 1926—with Poppy modifications*

> Tonight I'm downhearted  
> For though we have parted  
> I love you and I always will  
> And while I'm so lonely  
> I'm singing to you only  
> To see if you care for me still
> 
> Are you lonesome tonight  
> Do you miss me tonight?  
> Are you sorry we drifted apart?  
> Does your memory stray to a bright summer day  
> When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?
> 
> Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare?  
> Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?  
> Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?  
> Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?
> 
> I wonder if you're lonesome tonight  
> You know someone said that the world's a stage  
> And each of us must play a part  
> Fate had me playing in love with you as my sweetheart  
> Act one was where we met  
> I loved you at first glance  
> You read your lines so cleverly and never missed a cue  
> Then came act two, you seemed to change, you acted strange  
> And why I've never known  
> Honey, you lied when you said you loved me  
> And I had no cause to doubt you  
> But I'd rather go on hearing your lies  
> Than to go on living without you  
> Now the stage is bare and I'm standing there  
> With emptiness all around  
> And if you won't come back to me  
> Then they can bring the curtain down
> 
> Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?  
> Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?

_Gosh, such a heartsick little song. But I can’t always sing positive ones._

As she finishes, waiting for the claps and cheers to subside, she waits a few minutes longer in silence before she moves on to the third and last song. She knows that finding more songs in the weeks ahead might be tricky. Actually, she wants to discuss some ideas with Quincey and Erdene next week.

 _I need to dig into those old college shows I had parts in and review the songs from them. I can probably find some real obscure ones, certainly ones these men have never heard of. And I love a challenge._

Finally, the audience quiets a bit more, and she looks over and nods at Quincey one last time for the night. Next up is a song that’s a few years old, but it’s good one: [ “It Had to be You.” ](https://youtu.be/Wn035sTzyi4)

**"It Had to Be You,”** Published in 1924 by Jerome H. Remick & Co., Songwriter(s) Gus Kahn, and, Composer(s) Isham Jones

> Why do I do just as you say?  
> Why must I just give you your way?  
> Why do I sigh?  
> Why don't I try to forget?
> 
> It must have been that something lovers call fate  
> Kept me saying, "I had to wait"  
> I saw them all  
> Just couldn't fall 'til we met
> 
> It had to be you  
> It had to be you  
> I wandered around and I finally found  
> The somebody who could make me be true  
> And could make me be blue  
> And even be glad just to be sad thinking of you
> 
> Some others I've seen  
> Might never been mean  
> Might never be crossed or try to be bossed  
> But they wouldn't do
> 
> For nobody else gave me a thrill  
> With all your faults, I love you still  
> It had to be you, wonderful you  
> It had to be you
> 
> For nobody else gave me a thrill  
> With all your faults, I love you still  
> It had to be you, wonderful you  
> It had to be you

She couldn’t be more happy to observe how much the crowd again appreciates her performance. They have clapped and cheered just as enthusiastically tonight as they had last week. Quincey walks over to her, and whispers in her ear, “Bravo, Pops, you did it again!” She looks at him with a wide smile on her face, and Quincey holds out his arm, and she grabs on and they both walk off the stage. 

“Whew! I don’t know why, Quince, but I had more stage fright tonight then I did last week.”

They walk down the stage steps towards Quincey’s table in the back. Thankfully there are no signs of Vincent in the crowd tonight. But it’s standing room only. Even more crowded than last week.

_Word must have spread about the show? Hmmm…._

“Actually, Quincey, I want to talk to you and Erdene about some ideas I have. When might we chat?”

_Oh, my—I am so intrigued now. And this woman is a gem!_

“Funny you should mention it, Pops, since Erdene and I have some things to discuss with you as well. Maybe tomorrow afternoon? My house?”

“Perfect! Let me ask Erdene if it’s good for her. Now, let’s have a drink!”

Tora is sitting at his usual spot at Quincey’s table as they walk up, his amber eyes looking right at her.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Unbeknownst to anyone, though, a figure manages to sneak into the costume room door as Quincey and Poppy are walking away from the stage. 

He is thankful that so many people are distracted tonight. After seeing her the night before in her cig girl outfit, Scharch knows now that with the uptick in his urges, he will need to step up his plans. His intent to lure and capture her might be easier tonight than any other night. As he slowly walks back through the hallway, he finds a secluded spot to tuck himself away in, and starts the waiting game, anticipating her arrival to come back and get undressed may take awhile. 

_Luckily I’m a f*cking patient man, especially when it comes to my play time._

At the mere idea of her taking off that pretty dress while he watches, his already semi-erect cock twitches to life. And the idea that maybe his plan can start sooner than he even though possible is thrilling to say the least. In his little dark corner, he strokes himself through his pants a few times, and somehow manages to stop himself. He needs to save himself for _her_. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy is feeling pretty tired, so she begs off staying until closing time. She bids Quincey goodnight. Half way across the floor on the way to the costume room, she meets Erdene.

“Flower! Again you are spot on with that beautiful voice of yours!”

“Thank you, Erdene. I’m actually heading home early. But I want to chat a bit, can you come back and help me out of the dress while we talk?”

“Of course! Jacob and Gyu can cover the floor.”

As she says this, she glances over at Gyu at the bar, and gives him her standard “you’re-in-charge” look that she’s been giving him since she can remember. 

They walk back through the hallway, and as they reach the costume room, they both are chittering away about the songs she had just sung. Poppy stops in front of the screen in the back, holding up her hair, so Erdene can undo the stays on the back of her dress. 

“The dress is a hit I think. Lot of people in the audience were looking at you like the delectable treat you are—like a candy apple, Pops.”

This sentiment makes Poppy giggle.

“Erdene, sweetheart. It’s just a dress. I’m just a simple woman. You’re imagining things, really. Anyways, I already told Quincey, but I want to talk to you both about some ideas I have for the weeks ahead. He said we can meet tomorrow afternoon at his house. Will that work for you?”

“Of course! I will pick you up, or will you get a ride fro—?”

“Um, I don’t really know. I don’t know how this whole thing will work, Dene. Anyways, why don’t we plan on lunch, then you can drive us both after?”

Erdene has no idea why Poppy cut her off, but no biggie. 

_Poppy, you are such a kind person, but you are also an enigma!_

“That should be fine. Can you confirm this, tonight?”

“Yes, he’ll be walking me back to my room in a bit, so I’ll try and confirm it then.”

“Right!” 

Poppy grabs her own dress, and moves behind the screen to take off the red costume. 

“And I will be working again tomorrow, just so you know.”

“You know you don’t have to do that anymore, right?”

“For now, I still need the money, Erdene, and I have no idea if things working with Q will work out or not. I know you need to hire a replacement for me anyways, yes?”

Poppy walks back out in the room, fully redressed in her plain frock, undoing her French braid as she talks.

“All true. I don't know how long it will take to find someone to replace you. Gil always did the hiring and since you arrived we haven’t had to hire any cig girls or boys. I appreciate you continuing to work.”

“Well, honestly, the tips make it all worthwhile. Right, ready to go? If anything changes about tomorrow, I’ll phone you, okay?”

“Great. I’ll walk out with you.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In his hiding spot, Scharch listens to their entire exchange, wondering about a few things they discussed. But hearing her voice and getting a sense of her true demeanor has only served to make her all the more alluring to him, more than when he first met her at Balthuman’s stupid dinner and more than any of the other Outfit c*nts he’s dealt with.

_The only perk of being there last night was seeing her innocent little face. Then seeing her later in the cig outfit? F*ck, yes, she is a perfect plaything. But I need to find out more about the shit they talked about. I hope none of it will affect my plans._

While he’s a bit disappointed that he didn’t get to see her naked, just listening to her voice while she undressed along with all the things he’s planning to do to her have made him hard as a rock. 

_F*ck, the things I’m gonna do to ya, you little slut._

He does some deep breathing exercises to calm himself down a bit so he can sneak back out onto the club floor. It’s likely Claude has noticed he’s been missing by now, so he’ll have to be cautious sneaking back out without him or anyone else noticing. But just as he’s ready to walk back out, in walks a cig girl, one that just might scratch his itch tonight. She’s not nearly as hot as Poppylan, so won’t get the full treatment he has in store for the little woman, but she’ll do for some release. 

“Come here, sweetheart. It’s your lucky day.” He grabs her arm, and pulls her close.

_So many of these dames love the rough treatment. Not as exciting, but I just wanna f*ck her._

She’s startled as he grabs her roughly, but then seems willing to fool around, smiling at him. She allows him to pull her away, off to a spot further back in the hallway for a little tryst.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tora escorts Poppy to her boarding house, and just as he’s getting ready to leave her, she reminds him she has a gift for him.

“Wait, don’t forget. I have something for you.” She gestures for him to follow her, and he reluctantly goes inside. 

She walks quickly back to the kitchen, pulling some little package out of the icebox, and hands it to him. 

“Like I said earlier, just a small gift, to say thank you.” 

Tonight he is so mesmerized by her, so he stands there for a moment, staring at her. He’s not sure what to do with what she’s handed him. She looks at him with her beautiful brown eyes. He still doesn’t respond, not sure why he’s so tongue-tied. He sees that she has a bit of a smile on her face at his inaction.

“Well, good night, Tora.” 

Then she walks out of the kitchen and back down the hall to her room. Before he even moves, he hears the click of her door locking. That sound breaks him out of his trance, so he leaves, moving to stand in his usual spot across the street. He’s been feeling a bit awe struck from the moment he saw her in the kitchen earlier in the evening. 

After arriving to pick her up, he knocked on her door, with no response. While he wasn’t really worried yet, he also couldn’t think of where she might be. Then he hears a low sound, sounding a bit like music. It appears to be coming from the back, so he moves in that direction, the sound of music slowly getting a little louder. He finds her, back to him, standing at a counter inside a full kitchen. She’s humming to herself, with her hair flowing loosely down her back. He comes to a full stop in the doorway. The setting sun is streaming through the window she’s standing in front of, making her appear golden, shining and glowing. He didn’t think she could possibly be more lovely than right in that moment. Then he recognizes the tune she’s humming—it’s one of the songs she sang last week. 

He had been standing there for some time before she even notices him in the doorway watching her.

Although he’s had years of practice keeping that stone-faced look on his face, he’s not certain if she will notice the desire in his eyes or not, because it’s definitely there.

_F*ck do I want her._

“Ah, you’re here.” 

“Evening.” It’s all he can say at this point.

Over her shoulder she smiles at him, then walks over to the icebox, placing something inside.

“That’s for you, by the way. It’s a bit of a thank you gift. I’ll make sure you get it at the end of the night. Anyways, let me just go and get my coat.”

With that beautiful smile on her face, she walks toward him. Somehow he manages to move out of her way, so she can walk past him. 

_She’s a goddamn angel._

He waits under the lamppost until she turns her light off, then he leaves to go back to the gym. He has to admit he is quite curious about what’s inside the little tin container she gave him.

_Food of some kind?_

Finally back at the gym, he’s feeling eager to punch the bag and do some calisthenics. He needs to get her out of his head somehow, and punching the bag and exercising are a few of the ways he can try. 

But first, he quickly opens the top of the container to look at what’s inside. To his utter surprise, it’s strawberries and whipped cream on top of a large round honey cake. 

_Wha—Poppy can’t possibly be_ **_her_ ** _… can she?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delays in updates, but here is a double update tonight, just for fun. 
> 
> Note that most version of “‘S Wonderful” start at the 2nd verse, for whatever reason.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tora has his own flashback. Big ideas for the Garden are discussed, and Quincey and Erdene finally admit their ideas about a burlesque show.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > “If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong.”   
> ~Masaru Emoto - Secret Life of Water
>
>> The first time ever I saw your face  
> I thought the sun rose in your eyes  
> And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave  
> \- '  
> To the dark and the endless skies, my love  
> To the dark and the endless skies  
> ~Ewan MacColl, [“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”](https://youtu.be/r9jmusgMgro)

Looking down into the strawberry-filled container, he is stunned.

 _Could Poppy really be_ **_her?_**

He sinks back into his memories, especially one involving a tiny little spitfire of a girl, one who opened his eyes that summer day. She had big beautiful caramel eyes, and the group of thugs surrounding her that day didn’t seem to phase her in the least. Even though she was quite young, she had an enduring appeal, one he still feels periodically. After the fact, he always wondered if he could ever find out her name or who she is. He was 17 at the time.

He's never told anyone about her, Gyu might remember or might not, but he does know there was something about her that is memorable. 

He remembers she was so tiny and young, but her eyes and demeanor so attractive, so welcoming. She had no problem welcoming him and the other goons into her house to feed them.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

**Flashback—10 years ago**

Walking up and down the country roads in Moonbright with a bunch of other noobs in the Outfit, f*cking around, Tora was annoyed to be there. 

_Why the f*ck do we have to wait most of a day to get the next train to Narin City?_

Yes, they have a substantial wait until their train leaves. And within 20 minutes waiting in the train station, he can tell that the other young goons are too restless and has to keep reminding them not to pester civilians. He knows that they have plenty of time to kill, so he gives them his patented stare, and then tells them all what will happen.

_These f*cks gotta calm down. In fact, we are getting out of here. Let’s just check out this little podunk town._

After he tells them, they all groan, but he has a presence and demeanor that always puts them in their place. At 17, he’s already big and tall, and his reputation always, _always_ precedes him. But typically he doesn’t play babysitter to a bunch of kids either. _Whatever._

They all walk out of the station, moving slowly through the town. There’s really not much to see but a few stores, a diner, a post office, and they keep walking. A few of them complain, as they wanted to visit one store, a trading post of some kind, but he shuts that shit down immediately. 

“This ain’t the city, and they don’t need no stinking goons f*cking around, you got it?”

This shuts them up, of course, and they keep walking. He’s been walking several yards behind the others. Their incessant talking and f*cking around is simply too annoying. 

The group finds themselves walking along a country road running between two vast fields. Tora has to admit to himself that breathing in the country air and getting far far away from the city for even a short period of time has him feeling calmer than he’s felt since...forever.

In the field to his left, he notices a huge horse and a tiny little person sitting on top of it. 

_Now that is something you don’t see everyday._

He sniggers at how ridiculous the boy looks on the horse when suddenly the horse stops and the kid goes flying off, and he appears to hit the ground hard. 

Before he even realizes what he’s doing, Tora’s running over to the kid, to see if he's hurt. 

“Are you hurt?” He drops down on one knee next to him, a look of concern on his face, and he discovers it's not a him. It's a _her._

_F*ck, it’s a girl?_

“No, not at all, just my pride.” She is f*cking adorable, smiling up at him. 

“Are you sure? Here, let me help.” He holds out his hand to her, and she slowly takes it. He then gently helps her get to her feet. She is tiny, and Tora can’t comprehend how such a tiny pretty little thing could even crawl onto the back of the horse, let alone do this kind of farmwork.

He looks at the horse, just standing there. It doesn’t even have a saddle that he can perceive. 

_How the f*ck did she even sit up there?_

“Oh, don’t worry about Tsuyoi, he’ll be fine. This happens a lot.” 

She is something. Perky, cute, and for someone who just fell off a horse, pretty positive. And he curious about her and asks about the horse. He wants to hear her talk more. 

“That the horse’s name?” 

She nods her head yes. 

_F*ck those eyes are just…_

And he feels a bit intrigued by her and that feels a bit weird since she’s so young. So he, probably the least talkative person, keeps asking questions.

“You fall off horses a lot?”

“No, well, yes, sometimes, I mean we hit rocks a lot. But I don’t always fall off though.”

As she’s answering his questions, he notices that she’s a bit unsteady on her feet. He feels a bit concerned, and he makes yet another impulsive decision. 

Gesturing back to the nearby farmhouse, he picks her up off her feet.

“Here, let me take you back.” 

Carrying her, he's wondering if there might be someone inside who can look her over to make sure she’s okay and take care of her. He carefully puts her down on her feet on the top step.

Looking at him with those big caramel eyes, she talks to him again. “Thank you for your help.” 

“Right. You okay?”

“Yes.”

“See ya, kid.” Despite a bit of strange yearning to stick around, he knows he has to get out of there before the kids waiting for him up the road get out of hand again. But before he takes more than a step, she calls out to him. 

“Wait—why don’t I make you lunch. You can invite your friends if you want. Consider it a..a.. thank you?”

He’s shocked at her invitation. Hesitating, he looks back over his shoulder at her. 

_She is just too f*cking adorable._

He looks back at the boys standing and waiting for him up on the road, hesitating but desperately wanting to say YES.

“Really, it’s no bother.”

At this, he looks back at her, and simply nods. Then, he whistles at the other boys, and gestures for them to come over to the house. 

Ever vigilant, he has to ask about the horse. He’s not used to country life, so he doesn’t have a clue about what goes on at a farm like this.

“What about the horse? You need to take care of him?”

“Oh, no, he can stay there until we’re done with lunch.”

“OK.”

The boys all walk up to him, noisy and too f*cking loud. Tora glares at them, and they mostly settle down, but still snigger and poke each other.

She has a big smile on her face, and says to them, “Be right back. I hope you’re all hungry.” 

The young girl quickly runs inside.

“Don’t make me repeat myself. You f*cks better _behave_. Got it?”

“Yeah, we got Big Bro.” Gyu is most confident of the group, and the only one of the group who he really knows. The others don’t speak up, but remain relatively quiet. In about 20 minutes, she returns and gestures for them to come inside. He did _not_ expect that at all, thinking she might bring something to them right there on the porch.

“Please, come in.”

Walking through the door, she then leads him back into a moderately sized kitchen with a large table taking up most of the space. 

On the table is a small feast. 

_How the f*ck did she prepare so much food so quickly?_

They all sit down, and Tora looks at each of them giving them another glare. Right away, the girl starts filling small mugs with soup, handing them to him, and he passes them down the table. The soup is delicious. The rest of the food is shared, the platters and bowls passed around the table quickly, and soon the boys are starting to talk again. 

Looking over at her, he watches as she gets up out of her seat. She tells him, “Excuse me, I’ll be right back,” then turns and goes out the back kitchen door. 

The young men have already eaten just about everything. Even though he’d like to stay, he knows he can’t linger. Not with the others there with him, and in general. 

“All right, you tools, finish up. We gotta get going. We’ve overstayed our welcome. Gyu and Tsudzu, you clear the table. Tsuki and Kage, wash the dishes. Soon as your done, go back to the road. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

They don’t question him nor really respond—they simply move, Tora watching how quickly they complete these chores. He’s a bit surprised actually.

_Why can’t they move this fast when I have them work a job back home? F*cking ingrates._

Within minutes, the kitchen is practically spotless with clean mugs and spoons stacked by the sink. They all make their way out the door, and Tora stands at the sink over the window, looking for the young girl but not seeing her.

 _Where the f*ck did she go?_ He doesn’t want to leave without at least seeing her one more time. 

Then he hears the faint sound of footsteps on the front steps, and he can hear Gyu saying something to the person walking up the steps.

A moment later, the young girl walks back into the kitchen.

“Oh, I made dessert, too, but they’ve all left.”

He turns to look at her. She’s a little out of breath, and her eyes are glowing a bit. 

_So f*cking cute._

“It’s OK. We’ve overstayed our welcome anyways.” 

_F*ck a part of me just doesn’t wanna go. But I gotta get these f*ckers out of here._

“Wait, you can take some of it to go.”

He watches as she runs over to the icebox, and she pulls out bowls of strawberries and whipped cream. He’s mesmerized watching her doling out the berries and cream and some sort of pastry into a little container, wrapping it all up in a cloth napkins, handing it to him. 

“Here. And thank you again.” Her beautiful caramel eyes beam at him, and she has the sweetest smile on her face. 

Taking the bucket from her, he smiles right back at her, nods, and walks out the front door to the boys waiting for him. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

He’s never gone back to Moonbright, well, not until that day Goliath asked him to go pick up that f*cking ledger. He wonders if she’s still on that farm, and never even learned her name. But now, now he’s wondering if that girl is Poppylan. It seems more than a coincidence. Poppy is from Moonbright, the container full of fruit and cream seem practically the same, the reference to her as a “country girl,” and, now that he thinks about it, Poppy does have the most beautiful caramel eyes. It all makes sense.

He’s so pleased that he actually laughs. He hasn't been so pleasantly surprised since… well, since he met Poppy for the first time at the train station in Moonbright. 

_I gotta admit—you are a bright light in my life right now, sweetheart._

He finds a spoon, sits down, and digs right into those berries.

_Delicious._

He almost forgets about that ledger. _Almost._

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Poppy forgets to ask Tora about driving her to Quincey’s house the next day, so she and Erdene meet and have a very quick lunch. They discuss the songs Poppy sang the night before, and they decide they will talk with Quincey--they both know they can likely fire Candy as a singer. She can stay on as a cig girl if she wants, though. 

They show up at Quincey’s, and Tora is irritated to find out Poppy went out into the city without his protection. 

_F*ck, does she **not** understand? Maybe she doesn’t. _

He doesn’t even think Quincey understands how much she's in potential danger.

And Tora is already nervous as f*ck about meeting Goliath on Monday and the lack of any progress in finding that f*cking ledger. 

As a result of Tora’s nervousness, Quincey decides that they should review how things will work with the new editorial job, the bodyguard duties of Tora, and so forth. It’s basically a rehashing of everything they talked about before. When Tora is with Poppy, either Damien or Yadori will stay with Quincey. If Tora is not with Poppy or Quincey, again, Damien or Yadori, or another outfit man of Tora’s choosing will be on duty. It’ll be a day by day process.

If Quincey and Poppy are together, especially the editorial work, likely to happen at Quincey’s mansion, Tora will be there to watch them both. Tora will continue to escort Poppy to and from the club. While there, Tora will have some flexibility, as several of his men will be there once it opens its doors, but personally he knows he’ll still be watching her like a hawk and will be there every night she is there, if he can help it. He may even forgo the fights for a while. 

He’s sort of hoping she’ll give up the cig girl gig, but she claims that she wants to see if the other shit with Quincey will work out first, and wants to keep singing. Whatever. He’s got mixed feelings because having her work the floor every night means just that—he gets to see her every night, and walk her home. That is _far_ from a hardship. If she’s not doing that, he won’t see her as much. 

And while he very much admires how Poppy looks in that costume (and boy does he like it on her—she makes frequent appearances, wearing it or nothing at all whenever he thinks about her at night), he doesn’t like all the goons ogling her either. He feels a bit...jealous? Protective? Maybe. 

Since she’s started at club, she has been insistent that there aren't any problems dealing with the outfit men, but today, she finally confesses that Claude has been a bit of a creep to her. Erdene knows all about it of course, mentioning that she and the other cig girls try to keep him away from her as much as they can. Tora is a bit irritated to find this out, wishing she had spoken up sooner. He can’t stand that f*cker, and only tolerates him as his connection to the fights. Finding out that Claude is being such a dick makes Tora despise him even more.

Tora goes in and out of the house to smoke multiple times, while the other three each discuss their own ideas. 

“OK, you wanted to talk, let’s talk. Poppy, you first.”

“Sure. First, I think you should hire a small orchestra and a stage manager. Your stage is more than big enough for, I don’t know, 10 to 15? It will add a little more oomph to the songs, make it more legitimate. And then maybe you can be more of an emcee or host, Q.”

Erdene and Quincey contemplate this, then they look at each other. Erdene suddenly has a huge grin on her face.

“I love it, flower. What do you think, Queen?”

She’s so excited at these ideas. To her, it means their plans are getting even closer to fruition.

“Poppylan, you are a smart intelligent woman! The orchestra is definitely a good idea, and I approve of that. Do you have any idea of where I’d find anyone? And a stage manager? What would they do?”

“Well, I can reach out to some of my old college contacts. They will have some ideas of where to find musicians for the orchestra. Are you sure you can afford it?”

“Oh yes, hon. Do not worry about it. Spare no expense for this project.”

Poppy thought it odd that he’s just called it a project, but she’s on a roll and keeps talking.

“And the stage manager would be solely responsible for things like costumes, song selections, getting sheet music, advertising, anything performance related. This would allow Erdene to focus more on some of the stuff she has had problems keeping up with since Gil left.”

All true of course. While Erdene loved finding costumes for Poppy to wear, admittedly, everything else she’s had to do for the performances are things she doesn’t have any expertise in, and there are other things she needs to do to run the Garden much more efficiently. And now, she’s going to bring up the big idea.. 

Erdene gives Quincey a look to try and communicate to him, _I think it’s time, Queen. Here we go._

Tora walks back in at this point, sitting down next to Poppy.

“Now it’s my turn.”

“What ideas do you have?”

Quincey and Erdene look at each other one last time, and decide to give Poppy the scoop.

“We want to put on a burlesque show, and we want you to be the star.”

 **_WHAT?!_ **Both Tora and Poppy are surprised.

Poppy is flabbergasted, but since she’s into drama, she will keep listening.

“But I’m really not a trained dancer. Keep going.”

“Erdene _is_ a trained dancer, and hell, we can hire a choreographer. I guess a stage manager will become a necessity!”

Wow. Poppy is completely blown away.

“I mean based on the last two weeks, I think it would be a hit. And honey, face it, you are _gorgeous_. The men love you. And we can have others on stage with you. Erdene might even put on her dancing shoes. Candy does some dancing, too, yes?”

 _Ugh,_ **_not_ ** _her._ Tora gets up and walks out of the room at that suggestion, leaving to smoke again. He's already a bit unsettled at Quincey's f*cked up ideas.

“Think Clara Bow, Theda Bara, Fay Wray, Gypsy Rose. Real risque stuff”

 _He is going all out, isn’t he._ Poppy has to admit the whole idea is a bit exhilarating.

“Can I think about it?”

“Sure, honey. I mean it will take a lot of planning and practice to put on any show like that. In the meantime, you can keep singing your Gerswhin tunes, right?”

Poppy laughs. “Yes, Quincey, I’d like that.”

“And I haven’t even begun to tell you the shit we’ve thought up. Do you want us to give you some of our designs?”

_Why not?_

“Sure. I’m actually quite curious.”

“Well, there are classic ones, like the fan dance, the banana dance--Josephine Baker is famous for that one, but I have to admit I have ideas for some seriously over-the-top, _decadent_ ones.”

“Such as?”  
  
“Lady Godiva. We’d either have an orchestra play classical music, or we’d set up a phonograph somehow. And get this--you would wander the floor on horseback.”

While Poppy has no expression on her face, she is holding her breath. She thought her being the star might be a stretch but _this?!?_ Then Quincey takes a deep breath, admitting to Poppy his reasoning for it. 

“As you probably know, the legend of [ Lady Godiva ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Godiva) is equal parts rebellion, defiance, and rebirth. Very pagan. I think of it symbolizing open rebellion against the Outfit and my father, and his disdain for me and the club. No one but the three of us would know what it truly represents. We’d play something like Debussy’s [ Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun ](https://youtu.be/9_7loz-HWUM) or even a new song, Ravel’s [ Bolero](https://youtu.be/r30D3SW4OVw), as you emerge and wander the floor. We’ll discuss it. Not sure if I want the ambiance to be earthy and ethereal or _orgasmic_ with a crescendo. We’d probably have to clear out a few of the tables to give you space to roam. Think decadent and truculent.”

“Quincey, that is...something. Wow. And a live horse in the club?”

Poppy honestly thinks it is fascinating.

“Hell, we may even want to hire a producer! But I have even more ideas. Adam and Eve. Persephone and Hades. Joan of Arc. Cleopatra and Marc Antony. Salome. The Japanese Tea Ceremony. The Fox's Wedding, I could go on, but I think you get the idea, yes?.”

Since Poppy loves art and literature, she is practically bouncing up and down in her seat at these ideas, despite her hesitancy to be the "star."

“Whoa. I am now getting very interested. I think we need to hire the stage manager first. I need to contact William. He’ll know a some people I can call.”

At the mention of William's name, Quincey gets very quiet, and Poppy doesn’t notice. But Erdene does. 

_Oh flower, why did you have to bring_ **_him_ ** _up._

“Right. I think that’s enough discussion for today. I want you to think about it more. I know we have to get together on Monday to start practicing for next week’s songs, right?”

“Yes. I have several contenders, but need to narrow it down. I don’t know if we can get sheet music the same day?”

Erdene laughs, “We’ll see, flower.”

Tora then comes back into the room, wondering what else he’s missed, but it appears the discussion is winding down. 

_Thank f*ck. I don't know how much shit I can handle today._

“Honey, can you drive Poppylan home, please? I believe we’re done for today. Pops, I’ll see you tonight at the Garden.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra long chapter, lovies. Enjoy!
> 
> SPOILERS: 
> 
> Yes, in this AU, Poppy and Tora do meet in the past. It is fun to write from both sides, and to come up with how they might have met in 1917!
> 
> NOTE: had to make an adjustment for timing after posting. Whoopsie!


End file.
